Morocco has become the first country in the world to test Canada’s pioneering digital visa system, placing the North African nation at the centre of a major shift in how global travel documents are issued, verified and managed.
The pilot phase invites a select group of approved Moroccan visa holders to receive a fully digital version of their visa, alongside the traditional passport sticker.
Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the initiative is designed to modernise immigration services and streamline travel.
“Digital visas are designed to make travel to Canada faster, safer and more convenient. They reduce the need to mail or submit a passport for a visa counterfoil; they improve verification and security; and they allow clients to share only the information that’s needed,” the IRCC stated.
The digital visa links directly to a traveller’s passport number within Canada’s immigration systems. This allows airlines and border officers to verify entry permissions electronically, eliminating the usual passport submission process and reducing delays associated with printing, mailing and counterfoil placement.
Morocco’s selection reflects both strong bilateral ties and the significant volume of Moroccan travellers heading to Canada each year for study, tourism and family visits. More than 5 000 Moroccan students enrol in Canadian universities annually, with dominantly French-speaking Quebec remaining the top destination, due to linguistic and cultural affinity, followed closely by Ontario. Canada is also home to a Moroccan diaspora estimated to be between 100 000 to 300 000 people, depending on the source, making Montreal the largest community hub.
Migration patterns continue to deepen these links. In the first half of 2025 alone, 1 835 Moroccans obtained Canadian citizenship, representing about 7% of all new African citizens naturalised during that period.
If the current pilot succeeds, Canada’s digital visa model could become a global benchmark, reshaping mobility for African travellers and accelerating the shift toward paperless immigration systems worldwide.
“The lessons learned from Morocco will help shape how we deliver digital immigration documents in the future,” stated the IRCC.
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