The government of Canada has announced that it has reached an agreement with Beijing whereby Canadians will be allowed 10-year multiple entry visas into China for business, family or tourist purposes. The news was greeted positively by the Canadian business community.

The move, which comes into immediate effect, reciprocates a similar arrangement, launched in 2012, for Chinese citizens wishing to visit Canada. In November of 2014, China and the United States also reached a mutual 10-year visa arrangement. Until now, Canadians were typically given a single-entry visa prior to their first visit to Canada and had to re-apply for re-entry thereafter.

“Canada welcomes China’s decision, which will further promote tourism and trade between our two great countries. This mirrors steps taken by our government to make it easier and faster for genuine travellers to come to Canada. Greater travel facilitation ensures increased opportunities to strengthen our vital people-to-people, tourism and business ties,” stated federal Minister for Citizenship and Immigration, Chris Alexander.

Trade Minister, Ed Fast, added that the new visa arrangement should “reduce costs” and “cut red tape” between Canada and its second-largest trading partner. Two-way merchandise trade reached almost $78 billion in 2014.

The Canadian business community has been lobbying the government of Canada to make progress on a free-trade agreement with China, arguing that such agreements between China and other nations puts Canadian manufacturing at a competitive disadvantage on the international market. The new visa arrangement is generally viewed as a step towards such an agreement.