A new Quebec driver's licence set to appear in about a year is expected to make it easier for Quebecers to get into the United States under a deal signed Tuesday by Premier Jean Charest and Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas.

The "enhanced" driver's licence will contain a memory chip that will give border guards access to encrypted personal information such as a person's date of birth and whether or not the holder has a criminal record.

Charest and Douglas said the U.S. plan to require passports to enter the United States will have a serious impact on trade because Canadians won't bother with the hassle of a passport just to go skiing and shopping.

"I've been quite concerned for some time about the lack of access," Douglas said at a news conference in Quebec City.

Passports are already needed to enter the U.S. by air but that requirement will expand no later than June next year to include land and sea entry.

Other states and provinces including British Columbia and Washington have already gone ahead with the enhanced licence experiment, so Quebec and Vermont will be able to learn from any mistakes, Douglas said.

"If there are any wrinkles, we'll be able to address them."

Steps will be taken to ensure personal information is kept confidential, Charest said.

"The idea here is to avoid a situation where information on a card or a chip could be used by someone who has access to the card."

The embedded licence will be voluntary and will cost slightly more than a regular licence. But it will be easier to obtain than a passport.

The U.S. government still has to give its approval before the enhanced licences are accepted as an alternative to passports at land crossings.

With files from the Canadian Press