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Canada's World Cup Team Is Preparing in North Carolina. The Tournament Starts in 17 Days.
News for residents of the “11th province”: Canadians abroad.
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Canada's World Cup Team Is Preparing in North Carolina. The Tournament Starts in 17 Days.
If you've marked your calendar for June 11, you're not alone. Canada's men's national soccer team - playing on home soil at a World Cup for the first time - has come together in Charlotte, North Carolina this week for its final training camp before the tournament kicks off.
Coach Jesse Marsch chose Charlotte specifically for the heat. Canada's group stage matches are all afternoon games. June 12 is Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto, June 18 is Qatar in Vancouver, and June 24 is Switzerland, also in Vancouver. The thinking is that players coming from cool European leagues need to sweat it out somewhere before they reach the pitch.
The question heading in is Alphonso Davies - the squad’s most recognizable face is nursing an injury and was left out of camp, though Marsch said he's still expected to play in the tournament.
Final roster announcement is expected to come on Friday.
For Canadians abroad watching this from a time zone away, the Group B schedule will probably result in early mornings or late nights depending on where you are. But Canada at a home World Cup is not something that comes around often. Find your stream now so you’re not scrambling at the last minute.
Read more: CBC News
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Canada Opens the Door for Indonesians and Malaysians - No Visa Required
Starting today, many citizens of Indonesia and Malaysia no longer need a visa to fly to Canada. IRCC flipped the switch on May 26, letting qualifying nationals from both countries apply for an electronic travel authorization instead of going through the full visa process.
The catch is that eligibility is limited to "known travellers" - Indonesians and Malaysians who held a Canadian visa at any point in the last 10 years, or who currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa. Others will still need to apply for the full TRV.
For Canadian expats in Southeast Asia, this is info worth knowing. If you have Indonesian or Malaysian friends or colleagues who have been putting off a trip to Canada because the visa process felt daunting, the bar is now lower - at least for those who've been through Canadian or US immigration before.
Canada has been opening its visa doors to more Southeast Asian countries as it builds relationships beyond its traditional North American and European trading partners. Philippines nationals who hold a US visa have had eTA access since 2016. The region is getting a meaningful and helpful upgrade.
Read more: CIC News