Travel Medical Insurance
for Visitors to Canada

UK Visitors to Canada

Each year, approximately 37 million people visit Canada. They come from all over the world to enjoy the culture, festivals, food and much, much more. Some are vacationing tourists, others are students, and a number of them come to work.

Is a Visa required?
If you are a citizen from the UK visiting Canada with a valid passport, you do not require a visa to enter the country. Although Canada is politically independent, it is part of the Commonwealth of Nations (a group of countries that were former British colonies) and its residents fall under the British monarchy. Consequently, all citizens of British dependent territories who obtain their citizenship through birth, descent, registration or naturalization do not require a visa to visit Canada.

Notable differences between the UK and Canada
It is understandable that many of the tourists visiting Canada are from the UK since the two countries share many similarities. Nonetheless, a few differences exist, and are worthy of mention.

The Driving
A notable difference between the UK and Canada is the driving. Vehicles are driven on the right side of the road in Canada, and drivers sit on the left-hand side of the vehicle, which is the complete opposite of what the British are used to. Fortunately, brake and accelerator pedals are in the same place and position. Also, most cars (including rental cars) have automatic transmission, which is not as commonplace in the United Kingdom.

If you are moving from England to Canada, you should be aware that each province has its own driving license regulations. However, if you are taking residence in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland or Labrador, you should be able to simply exchange your UK license for a valid Canadian license. You will need proof of having at least 24 months of licensed driving experience.

The Time Zones
Canada is an expansive country with more than one time zone, while England has but the one time zone for the entire country (Greenwich Mean Time). For people from the UK visiting Canada, here is a table showing the time difference between various regions in Canada and England.