The Senate is debating legislation that would allow Canadians to stay in the U.S. for up to eight months, increasing the time they have available to escape the cold weather in their home country, according to USA Today.
Under the new provision, Canadians that are 55 or older would be able to receive a Canadian Retiree Visa allowing them to stay in the U.S. for up to eight months if they own a second home in the U.S. or have a rental agreement or hotel reservation. The current law only allows a stay of up to six months.
The spouses of retirees who are not yet 55 would still qualify for a three-year renewable visa.
Canadian citizens don't need a visa to visit the U.S., but without one their stay is limited to six months minus one day, which is usually 182 days, within any 12-month period. This requires Canadians that travel to warm destinations like Arizona, California, Florida or Texas at the beginning of November have to return to Canada by late April.
"A lot of people want to stay longer," Bob Slack, the president of the Canadian Snowbird Association, told USA Today. "They'd like seven months if they can."
Canadian citizens who use up their allotment of days for visiting the U.S. are barred from making any additional trips across the border for the duration of the 12-month period. This causes lost revenue in tourist destinations such as the Finger Lakes region in New York on the East coast and Seattle on the West coast.
Senator Chuck Schumer, a democratic senator from New York, inserted the longer visiting period into immigration legislation. New York is a top destination for visiting Canadians. More than 6.9 million Canadians visited New York last year and spent $1.7 billion, according to the Canadian Embassy.
According to Schumer, his proposal is "an economic shot in the arm" because Canadian retirees would spend more money in New York as well as elsewhere in the U.S., and has generated little controversy.
"They help spur our economy," Schumer said. "Particularly for places like Buffalo and Rochester, far and away their biggest spending from tourists, other than Americans, is from Canadians."
The Canadian government didn't request the legislation.
"But we certainly support anything that can improve trade and tourism between Canada and the U.S.," Chris Plunkett, the embassy spokesman for Canada, said.
Over half a million Canadians own homes in Florida, according to a report by BMO Financial Group of Toronto.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
