New to Canada
Visiting or moving to Canada? Doing your research in advance will help you to make the most of your visit.
Canadian Electronic Travel Authorizations for Irish citizens
Are you an Irish citizen travelling to Canada by air? From 15 March 2016 you will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
Canada has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals flying to or transiting through Canada. As of March 15, 2016, travellers who do not require a visa to fly to Canada need to apply for an eTA. This includes passengers travelling on an Irish passport.
Applying for an eTA is simple, inexpensive ($7 Canadian) online process that takes minutes to complete. To apply, travellers must have a valid passport, a credit card, and an e-mail address. An eTA i electronically linked to a passenger's passport and once approved, it is valid for 5 years or until passport expiry.
To ensure there are no travel disruptions while travellers learn about the eTA requirement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a transition period (leniency period). During this period, border services officers are able to admit travellers arriving in Canada without an eTA, provided they are not otherwise inadmissible. This leniency period will be in place until September 29, 2016.
As of September 30, 2016, passengers who arrive at the airport without an eTA should expect to experience delays in their travels. For this reason, travellers should apply for their eTA before booking your flight to Canada.
For more information or to apply for an eTA, visit Canada.ca/eTA
Irish Canadian dual citizens please note carefully:
Dual citizens, who hold Canadian citizenship and citizenship from a visa-exempt country such as Ireland, cannot apply for an eTA because eTA was set up to screen foreign visitors for admissibility to enter Canada.
If you are a dual Irish-Canadian citizen you cannot apply for an eTA on your Irish passport and must enter Canada on a valid Canadian passport. You may be denied boarding if you attempt to travel using your Irish passport.
To prepare for these changes, dual citizens are strongly encouraged to apply for a Canadian passport. This will prevent delays during travel and help ensure dual Canadian citizens are treated according to the rules that apply to Canadian citizens.
NOTE: As it can take time to get a Canadian passport, IRCC encourages Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, to renew or obtain these documents as soon as they can and before leniency period ends. Find out more about travel documents for dual Canadian citizens flying to Canada.
Irish citizens who are permanent resident (PRs) of Canada, please note carefully:
Permanent resident (PRs) of Canada are not eligible to apply for an eTA. Canadian PRs must carry and present their valid PR card or Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) when boarding a flight to Canada or traveling to Canada on any other commercial carrier.
If your PR card expires, it does not mean you have lost permanent resident status, however it is your responsibility to apply for a new PR card when your current card expires. If you need to replace or renew your permanent resident card, make sure to plan ahead and check the processing times.
If you have lived outside of Canada for many years and are not sure whether you are still a Canadian permanent resident, see "How long must I stay in Canada to keep my permanent resident status" to review the residency requirement details.
Visiting Canada
If you’re travelling to Canada, our travel advice and updates give you practical tips and useful information.
Getting to Canada from Ireland has never been easier with direct air routes to Toronto (Air Lingus, Air Canada, Montreal (Air Transat), St. John’s (Westjet) and Halifax (Europe Airpost).
Explore Canada with Destination Canada
Moving to Canada
If you’re moving to Canada, our travel advice and updates give you practical tips and useful information.
Please note that the following links are provided for information purposes only and the Embassy is not responsible for the content of external websites or activities of groups/societies.
The Irish Canadian Immigration Centre is a not-for-profit organization offering outreach and information in areas such as employment, social services, and immigration. There are no fees for their services.
Exchange of driving licences
The recognition of the Irish driving licence is an important issue for the local Irish community in Canada and the completion of recognition agreements greatly enhances the employability of many new Irish migrants.
The Embassy has been in contact with all 10 Canadian Provinces about reciprocal agreements for the exchange of Irish driving licences for local driving licences. To date, the following Canadian Provinces will exchange a full Irish driver's licence for a local licence:
British Colombia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland Labrador
Ontario
Saskatchewan
A number of other Provinces are at a very advanced stage.
Irish Community Organisations and Festivals in Canada
If you have recently moved to Canada, you may wish to meet with other Irish citizens who are part of a local organisation or business network that can provide you with general advice, information and guidance.
Whatever your interest, there is a group for you. The following links are provided for information purposes and not as an endorsement. Organisations are listed by province and town/city. If you would like your Irish community group or festival to be included here, please contact us with details.
Canada Wide
Canada GAA - Gaelic Games
Website: www.canada.gaa.ie
Email: secretary.ca@gaa.ie
Celtic Canada - Magazine, Newsletter, Website connecting our communities coast to coast
Website: www.celticcanada.com
Twitter: @CelticCanada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/celticcanada1/
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann:
Canada East: http://comhaltas.ie/locations/detail/canada_east
Canada West: http://comhaltas.ie/locations/detail/canada_west
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce
Irish Canadian Immigration Centre
Website: www.irishcanadianimmigrationcentre.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Irish-Canadian-Immigration-Centre/154674707978462
Email: cmurphy@irishcdn.org
Irish Dance Teachers Association of Canada – Eastern Region
Western Canada Irish Dancing Teachers Association
Website: www.wcidta.ca
Alberta
Calgary
Irish Cultural Society of Calgary
Website: www.calgaryics.org
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Calgary-Irish-Cultural-Society/404772519674059?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IrishYYC
Email: calgaryics@gmail.com
Address: 6452 - 35 Avenue NW, Calgary, Alberta T3B 1S6
Tel: 1-403-288-8641
Ireland-Canada Centre for Commerce, Calgary
Website: www.iccccal.com
Email: lregan@iccccal.com
Tel: 403-244-9017
Comhaltas Calgary
CalgaryAlberta@comhaltas.net
Liffey Players Drama Society
Website: http://www.liffeyplayers.com/
Email:info@liffeyplayers.com
Calgary Chieftains - Gaelic Games
Website: http://www.calgarychieftains.com
Email: calgarychieftains@gmail.com
Calgary Canadian Irish Athletic Club (Rugby)
4334 – 18th Street NE
Calgary, Alberta
Ph: 403-291-5181
Email: info@calgaryirishrugby.com
Edmonton
Edmonton Wolfe Tones - Gaelic Games
Website: www.edmontongaa.com
Email: edmontongaasecretary@gmail.com
Edmonton's Irish Sports & Social Society
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Edmontons-Irish-Sports-Social-Society/218399498221310?sk=info&tab=overview
Address: 12546 126 Street, Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: +1 780-453-2249
Edmonton Leprechaun Tiger Rugby Club
Twitter @LepTigerRugby
Tel 780 914 1994
Edmonton Chapter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce
Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray Shamrocks - Gaelic Games
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-McMurray-Shamrocks-GAA/153290834735220
Red Deer
Red Deer Eire Ogs - Gaelic Games
Email: blainelavery@gmail.com
Water Valley
Water Valley Traditional Celtic Folk Festival
Website: www.watervalleycelticfestival.org
British Colombia
Vancouver
Irish in BC
A portal to connect Irish in Vancouver, including a list of community groups and a calendar of community events.
Website: https://irishinbc.ca/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/irishinvancouver
Irish Women's Network of BC (IWN-BC)
Website: www.irishwomenbc.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/88155390806/
Twitter: @irishwomennetBC
Email:irishwomensnetwork@gmail.com
Vancouver Irish Sporting and Social Club - Gaelic Games
Website: www.isscvancouver.com
Email: info@isscvancouver.com
CelticFest Vancouver
Website: http://www.celticfestvancouver.com/
Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce, Vancouver
Website: https://icccvan.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icccvan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ICCCVan
Irish Families in Vancouver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrishFamiliesinVancouver
Email: irishfamiliesinvancouver@gmail.com
The Ireland Canada Monument
Website: www.irelandmonumentvancouver.com
Email: irelandmonumentvancouver@gmail.com
Irish Benevolent Society of British Columbia
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bridfestvan/
Website: https://www.brigidfestivalvancouver.com/
Email: benevolentsocietybc@gmail.com
Kelowna
Okanagan Irish Society
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okanaganirishsociety/
Email: okanaganirishsociety@gmail.com
White Rock
Irish Club of White Rock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Irish-Club-of-White-Rock/348749071810905
Email: irishclubofwhiterock@gmail.com; whiterockirishclub@gmail.com
Manitoba
Winnipeg
Irish Association of Manitoba
Website: http://www.irishassociation.ca/
Email: info@irishassociation.ca
Address: 654 Erin Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2V9
Tel: +1 204-772-8830
Comhaltas Winnipeg Manitoba Branch
T: +1 204 4870936
E: WinnipegManitoba@comhaltas.net
Winnipeg Irish Festival
W: www.irishfest.ca/workshops/
Irish Society of Western Manitoba
New Brunswick
Irish Canadian Cultural Association of New Brunswick
Chapters:
- Capital Area Fredericton
- Saint John
- Westmorland Albert Kent
- Miramichi
- Northeast
Website: www.iccanb.ca
Miramichi Irish Festival
Website: http://canadasirishfest.com/
Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John’s
Benevolent Irish Society of Newfoundland
Website: http://www.bisnl.ca/main/
St. John's Avalon Harps GAA Club- Gaelic Games
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsAvalonHarps
Email: gaa_sj_nl@yahoo.ca
Nova Scotia
Cape Breton
Celtic Colours International Festival
Website: www.celtic-colours.com
Email: info@celtic-colours.com
Dartmouth
Re-Jigged Festival – a celebration of new Celtic music and dance
Website: http://www.rejiggedfestival.com/
Halifax
An Cumann – the Irish Association of Nova Scotia
Website: http://www.ancumann.org/
The Charitable Irish Society of Halifax
Website: http://www.charitableirishsocietyofhalifax.ca/
Halifax Gaels - Gaelic Games
Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/halifaxgaels/
Halifax Celtic Festival
Website: http://halifaxcelticfest.ca/
Holy Cross Historical Trust
Website: http://www.holycrosshalifax.ca/
Ontario
Almonte
Almonte Celtfest
Website: http://almonteceltfest.com
Facebook: Almonte Celtfest
Twitter: @almonteceltfest
Email: almonteceltfest.com
Barrie and District
The Irish Claddagh Club
Website: http://www.irishcladdaghclub.com/
Email: irishcladdaghclub@hotmail.com
Brampton
Lár naGael, Irish Centre of Brampton
Website: http://www.bramptonirishcenter.com/
Brockville
Brockville Irish Cultural Society
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brockvilleirishculturalsociety
Durham
Durham Robert Emmet's GFC – Gaelic Games
Website: www.durhamgfc.com
Email: info@durhamgfc.com
Goderich
Celtic and Roots Festival
Website: http://www.celticfestival.ca/festival
Hamilton
Irish Canadian Club of Hamilton
Website : http://irishclubhamilton.ca/
Innisfil
Innisfil Celtic Festival
Website: innisfilcelticfestival.com
Kingston
Kingston Irish Folk Club
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Irish-club-kingston/239434969437504
Email: irishtol@ihorizons.net
London
Irish Benevolent Society of London Ontario
Website: http://www.irishbenevolentsociety.ca/
Mississauga
The Irish Club of Mississauga
Website: http://irelandsupportersclub.ca/
Ottawa / Gatinau
Irish Women’s Network of Ontario (IWN-ON)
Website : www.irishwomenon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/391342627671463/
Twitter: @irishwomennetBC
Email: irishwomensnetwork.on@gmail.com
Ottawa Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Website: www.ottawacomhaltas.com/
Twitter: @OttawaCCE
Email: webmaster.ottawacomhaltas@gmail.com
Irish Society of the National Capital Region located in Ottawa/Gatineau
Website: www.irishsocietyncr.com
Email: president@irishsocietyncr.com
Ottawa Irish Seniors Drop-In
Email: kohegarty@sympatico.ca
St Brigid’s National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre (NICCC)
Website: http://saintbrigidscentre.com/niccc/
Ottawa Gaels Gaelic Football Club - Gaelic Games
Website: www.ottawagaels.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OttawaGaels
Twitter: @OttawaGaels
Email: info@ottawagaels.ca
Eire Og Ottawa Hurling Club - Gaelic Games
Website: https://www.facebook.com/EireOgOttawaYouthHurlingClub/
Email: ottawahurling@gmail.com
Ottawa Irish Rugby Club
Website: http://www.ottawairishrugby.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaIrishRugby
Irish Film Festival Ottawa
Website: https://www.irishfilmfestivalottawa.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottawairishfilmfestival
Email: irishfilmfestivalottawa@gmail.com
The Gaelic Hour Radio Show
Website: http://www.thegaelichour.ca/
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce in Ottawa
Website: http://www.icccott.org/
Toronto
St. Patrick's Day Parade Society
Website: www.topatrick.com
Email: info@topatrick.com
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce in Toronto
Website: http://www.icccto.com/
Email: cmurphy@icccto.com
Ireland Fund of Canada
Website: https://www.theirelandfunds.org/canada
Email: jnoonan@irlfunds.org
The Irish Cultural Society of Toronto
Website: http://torontoirishculturalsociety.com/
The Irish Benevolent Society of Toronto
Website: http://torontoirishculturalsociety.com/benevolent/
Ireland Park Foundation
Website: http://www.irelandparkfoundation.com/
Toronto Irish Film Festival
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toirishfilmfest
Toronto Irish Players
Website: http://www.torontoirishplayers.com/
Twitter: @TOIrishPlayers
Facebook: Toronto Irish Players
Phone: (416)440-2888
Email: torontoirishplayers@gmail.com
Toronto Hurling Club - Gaelic Games
Website: www.torontohurlingclub.com
Email: torontohurlingclub@gmail.com
St. Michael's Hurling and Football Club - Gaelic Games
Website: www.stmikesgfc.com
Email: st_mikesgaa@gmail.com
St. Pat's Canadians GFC - Gaelic Games
Website: www.stpatsgfctoronto.com
Email: stpatstoronto@gmail.com
St. Vincent's GFC - Gaelic Games
Website:http://www.stvincentsgaatoronto.com
Email: secretary@stvincentsgaatoronto.com
Toronto Gaels - Gaelic Games
Website:www.torontogaels.com
Email: torontogaels@gmail.com
Ceol agus Craic Radio Show Toronto
http://saturdayirishradio.com/
Songs From Home Irish Radio Show Toronto
http://www.chinradio.com/irish-scottish
Irish Canadian Immigration Centre
Website: http://www.irishcanadianimmigrationcentre.org/
Prince Edward Island
Charlottetown
Benevolent Irish Society of Prince Edward Island
Website: http://www.benevolentirishsocietyofpei.com/
Email: goconnor@pei.sympatico.ca
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus Irish Descendants Association - annual Irish Settlers' Day
Website: http://www.pei2014.ca/home.php?page=listing_detail&lid=87
Tignish
Irish Heritage Festival of PEI
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrishHeritageFestivalOfPei
Quebec
Douglastown
Douglastown Irish Week
Website: http://www.douglastownirishweek.org/
Eastern Townships
Celtic Harmonies International Festival
Eastern Townships, Québec (Knowlton, Bromont & Waterloo)
Website: http://www.celticharmonies.ca/Venues_e.php
Email: info@celticharmonies.ca
Richmond St. Patrick’s Society
Website: http://www.richmondstpats.org/?lang=en
Frampton
Frampton Irish
Website: www.framptonirish.com
Montreal
St. Patrick's Society of Montreal
Website: http://www.spsmtl.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spsmtl
Twitter: @spsmtl
Email: Office Manager office@spsmtl.com; President president@spsmtl.com
Address: 6767 Cote St. Luc Road, Suite 1, Montreal, QC H4V 2Z6
Tel: (514) 481-1346
Montreal chapter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce
Website: www.icccmtl.com
Twitter: @ICCC_MTL
Email: contact@icccmtl.com
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/groups/IrelandCanada-Chamber-Commerce-1932656/about
United Irish Societies of Montreal
Website: www.montrealirishparade.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/United-Irish-Societies-of-Montreal/102884813130606
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uismtl (English) & https://twitter.com/uismtlfr (French)
Email: publicrelations@montrealirishparade.com
Tel: 514-436-1512
Montreal Shamrocks - Gaelic Games
Website: www.montrealgaa.com
Email: montrealshamrocksgaa@gmail.com
Festival Bloomsday Montréal
Website: www.bloomsdaymontreal.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloomsday-Montreal/268211049917457
Twitter: @BloomsdayMTL
Email: bloomsdaymontreal@gmail.com
Irish Protestant Benevolent Society
Website : http://www.irishpbs.ca/
Cine Gael Irish Film Series Montreal
Website : http://www.cinegaelmontreal.com/
Black Rock Irish Monument Park Foundation
Website: http://www.montrealirishmonument.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Blackrockmemorial/
Email: info@montrealirishmonument.com
St. Columban Irish
Website: http://www.stcolumban-irish.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2422702736/
Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club
Website: http://www.montrealirish.com/
Ancient Order of Hibernians, Canada
Website: www.aoh-montreal.com
Email: info@aoh-montreal.com
Tel: 514-928-7196
Quebec City
Irish Heritage Quebec
Website: http://www.irishheritagequebec.net/
Les Patriotes de Québec - Gaelic Games
Facebook: https://fr-ca.facebook.com/pages/Les-Patriotes-de-Qu%C3%A9bec-GAA-Football-Ga%C3%A9lique-Hurling/110425998974917
Email: gaelique.quebec@gmail.com
Saskatchewan
Regina
Irish Club of Regina
Website: https://gaelicgamescanada.com/clubs/regina-gaels/
Regina Gaels- Gaelic Games
Website: http://www.reginagaels.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaGaelsGaa
Email: secretary.regina.gaa@gmail.com
Saskatoon
Comhaltas Saskatoon
Email:haughian.meaghan@gmail.com
Tel: (306) 281-8847