In a statement, the Department of Citizenship and Immigration said visitors from Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia no longer require a temporary resident visa to visit Canada, effective immediately.

That leaves only Bulgaria and Romania as EU member states whose residents require visas, the statement said. The two countries entered the European bloc at the beginning of 2007.

"Canadian officials will conduct technical visits to these countries as part of (the) ongoing review to determine when visa requirements can be removed," the statement said.

In 2006, Canada issued temporary resident visas to 6,385 for citizens of Hungary, 989 for citizens of Lithuania, 33,363 for citizens of Poland, and 3,780 for citizens of Slovakia, the statement said.