A closer look at the APEC Business Travel Card for Canadians

If you travel frequently for business within the Asia-Pacific region, the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) could save you time and stress at the border. Designed to streamline travel between participating APEC economies, the card offers fast-track entry and, in some cases, visa-free access to select countries.

In this guide, we’ll break down how the ABTC works, who’s eligible in Canada, how to apply, and why pairing it with a Wise Business account could make international travel and payments even easier.

What is the APEC Business Travel Card?

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is designed to make business travel between APEC member economies easier. It’s issued to business travellers who are citizens of APEC participating economies and senior government officials who meet the requirements¹.

Canada is a transitional member², like the US, but Canadian cardholders still benefit from fast track passport control at airports and easier visa appointment scheduling when travelling for business in the Asia-Pacific region.

While the card doesn’t replace a visa, it can speed things up at immigration and reduce paperwork for frequent travellers. Practical benefits include:

• Faster airport processing through dedicated APEC lanes in participating countries
• Multiple short term entries to precleared APEC economies
• Streamlined entry procedures, reducing wait times and paperwork
• Valid for five years¹, making it a valuable tool for frequent travellers
• Accepted in 19 APEC economies¹ for expedited entry (with some limitations depending on the country)

Who can get an APEC Business Travel Card in Canada?

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) is available to Canadian citizens actively engaged in business activities requiring frequent travel to APEC economies, including business owners, senior executives, individuals representing Canadian companies abroad and some senior government officials.

To qualify¹ for the ABTC in Canada, you must:

• Be a Canadian citizen
• Be a NEXUS member³
• Travel frequently for legitimate business purposes to APEC economies
• Not have any criminal convictions
• Hold a valid passport issued by your home economy - in this case, Canada.

Benefits of the APEC Business Travel Card

The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) offers significant advantages for Canadian business travellers in the Asia-Pacific region. Even though Canada is a transitional member, Canadian ABTC holders still enjoy several key benefits that streamline international business travel.​

Entry and processing advantages

Fast-track passport control: ABTC holders can access dedicated APEC lanes at major international airports in participating economies, reducing wait times and expediting entry procedures.

Multiple short-term entries: The card allows multiple short-term business visits to participating APEC economies without needing to apply for individual visas (subject to each economy's entry requirements) provided you've obtained the required pre-clearance during the application process.

Business convenience

The ABTC takes the hassle out of frequent business travel, freeing Canadian professionals from visa paperwork and airport queues so they can focus more on their work objectives and less on travel logistics.

Here’s how it helps simplify your journey:

• Skip visa applications for many short-term business trips across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Use priority lanes at immigration in participating APEC economies to save time at busy airports.
• Make last-minute trips easier without waiting for visa approvals.
• Travel with less paperwork with your card acting as pre-clearance in participating countries.
• Strengthen global business ties by making it easier to attend meetings,, events, and site visits across borders.

Selected APEC economies and travel privileges

Even though the ABTC facilitates visa-free entry and expedited processing in many APEC economies, Canada is a transitional ABTC scheme member. That’s because Canada’s own visa policy doesn’t currently recognize an ABTC as a visa application. As a result, Canada doesn’t provide, but also receive, visa-preclearance to other APEC countries, and Canadian cardholders must still comply with each country's entry requirements, including presenting a valid passport, visa, and any other necessary permits.

How to apply for the APEC Business Travel Card

Canadians will need to apply for an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) via the Trusted Traveller Program run by the US Department of Homeland Security⁴.

• Register with the Trusted Traveller Program (TTP) website. If you already have a GOES profile, you can log in and apply for your ABTC right away.
• If you're new to the system, you’ll need to create an account with login.gov first, then register with TTP.
• Once registered and eligible, submit your application for the APEC Business Travel Card online.
• Pay the non-refundable 70 USD fee
• You’ll be asked to visit an enrolment centre to provide a digitized signature once your application has been approved, before receiving your card in the mail.

Processing times may vary depending on how quickly other economies respond to the clearance request, with each application taking two to three months¹.

Canadian permanent residents or dual nationals

Canadian permanent residents or those holding dual citizenship with another APEC economy may have different application pathways:​

• Permanent residents: Currently, Canadian permanent residents are not eligible to apply for the ABTC through Canada. Applicants will need to hold a passport for the economy in which they make their application.
• Dual nationals: If you hold dual citizenship with Canada and another APEC economy, you may be eligible to apply for the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) through the economy of your other citizenship, provided you meet that economy’s specific application requirements. For example, a Canadian-Australian dual citizen can apply through Australia's Department of Home Affairs.​

Canadian citizens

Canadian citizens can apply for the ABTC by following these steps:​

1. Enroll in NEXUS: You'll need to join the NEXUS program, Canada's Trusted Traveller Program.​
2. Submit an application: Once enrolled in NEXUS, you can apply for the ABTC through your Trusted Traveller Programs (TTP) account.​
3. Await approval: After submission, your application will be reviewed by Canadian authorities, and if approved, your information will be shared with participating APEC economies. Processing times can vary, so it's advisable to apply well in advance of any planned travel.​

Application overview by eligibility type:

Fees and processing times

Applying for the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) as a Canadian involves several important steps, including paying a fee and a potentially lengthy wait.

• Fees: If you're applying as a Canadian citizen through the Trusted Traveller Program (TTP), there's a non-refundable application fee of 70 CAD, which covers the processing cost and is paid when you submit your application.
• Processing time: Timelines can vary depending on how many APEC economies you request access to and how quickly each one grants approval. However, the process can take several months, so it’s best to apply well in advance of any planned business travel.
• Validity: Once approved, the ABTC is valid for five years or until your passport expires — whichever comes first. If you get a new passport during that time, you'll need to apply for a new card with your updated details.

Wise for international business travel

Managing expenses while travelling for business can be complicated when you're crossing borders, juggling currencies, and trying to avoid hidden fees. That's where Wise Business comes in.

Designed for global businesses, Wise makes it easier to send, spend, and receive money internationally without the usual headaches. Here's how it can support your business trips:

Spend abroad with the Wise Business card: Use your Wise card in 150+ countries with no foreign transaction fees and the mid-market exchange rate — not one padded with hidden markups.

Issue cards to employees travelling with you, set limits, freeze/unfreeze instantly, and manage team expenses from one dashboard.

Hold and convert 40+ currencies: Keep money in multiple currencies and only convert when needed to avoid unfavourable rates and make the most of your travel budget.

Get paid globally like a local: Receive payments using local account details in 10+ major currencies (like USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD), plus SWIFT access for even more - all for a one-time payment of 55 CAD

Track spending in real time: With instant transaction notifications, you’ll always know where your travel budget is going.

Free invoicing tools and batch payments: Send invoices in your client’s currency and process up to 1,000 payments in one go — ideal if you're managing overseas contractors or suppliers.

Sync with accounting platforms: Connect Wise with QuickBooks, Xero, and Wave to simplify bookkeeping and stay audit-ready while on the move.

Curious? Get your Wise business account or try our live demo before you sign up.

Is the APEC Business Travel Card right for you?

For Canadian business travellers making regular trips to the Asia-Pacific region, the APEC Business Travel Card can be a real time-saver. Providing card holders smoother entry, faster processing, and fewer visa requirements, it can make a big difference when you’re travelling for work.

However, eligibility is limited, and you’ll need to be a Canadian citizen and a member of the Trusted Traveller Program to apply through Canada. Dual nationals may need to apply through their other country of citizenship.

And while the ABTC helps at the border, tools like the Wise Business account make managing international business even easier once you’re abroad. With multi-currency features, the mid-market exchange rate and smart expense tools, Wise can support your business every step of the way, no matter how many borders you cross.

About the author:
	Piyush is an expert on finance topics for the Canadian market, covering everything you need to move money beyond borders. He creates high quality content to help you make the best cross-border decisions. You can read more useful articles on his author profile.

Sources:

1. Frequently Asked Questions for APEC Business Travel Card Clients
2. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)
3. APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Travel Card (ABTC)
4. The APEC Business Traveller Card (BTC)