Bangalore: Canada will open a consulate general office in Bangalore on February 26.

The office of the Consulate General of Canada, to be located at the World Trade Centre in the city, will house a Visa and Immigration Service point serving the entire south India. The services are expected to commence by April, according to officials in the High Commission of Canada in New Delhi.

The Consulate General’s office here, which will be third one in India apart from the offices functioning in Mumbai and Chandigarh, is expected to cater to not only Karnataka, but also Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Canada has a consulate in Chennai and trade offices in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Kolkata. The office of the Consulate General is scheduled for inauguration by the Governor General of Canada, David Johnston during his visit to the city.

Canada first established its Trade Office here in 1996. The Consulate General is expected to reinforce Canada’s strong commercial relations and make future business easier providing immigration and visa services, according to a statement from the High Commission.

With a large number of students planning to go abroad for higher studies, the new Consulate General will also help students from south India planning to study in educational institutions in Canada.