Beginning in 2013, the Canadian government will begin requesting biometric data from some temporary visitors to the country.

According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), the biometric program will help to strengthen Canadian immigration overall, as it will provide visa officers with more extensive tools for assessing an applicant’s request for temporary residence. This data will help legitimate visitors to Canada enter the country with ease while at the same time screening for inadmissible individuals.

CIC expects to begin collecting data in the fall of 2013. Individuals from the following countries will be required to provide data upon entering Canada:

• Colombia
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Albania
• Algeria
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Eritrea
• Libya
• Nigeria
• Saudi Arabia
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Tunisia
• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• Burma (Myanmar)
• Cambodia
• Egypt
• Iran
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Laos
• Lebanon
• Pakistan
• Palestinian Authority
• Sri Lanka
• Syria
• Vietnam
• Yemen

The proposed biometric system will be similar to ones already put in place by some countries, including the United States. CIC expects that approximately 300,000 applicants will be subject to the requirement in the first year alone.