Visitor visa
Visitor visa
Every year, Canada welcomes millions of visitors to the country. In fact, visitors not only contribute greatly to the economy, but also bring with them new perspectives and enhance tourism. Facilitating the entry of visitors is therefore one of Canada’s immigration objectives. This is achieved through the issuance of two different types of documents that serve the same goal: temporary resident visas (TRV) and electronic travel authorizations (eTA) . Potential applicants should first make sure they know which document applies to them before filing an application. It is the country of nationality or the country that issued your travel documents that will dictate whether somebody needs a temporary resident visa or not. In very few instances, individuals will only need their passport and neither a TRV or eTA applies to them.
A TRV is also known as a visitor visa, which is simply a document that is placed in the traveler’s passport to show that the requirements as a temporary resident to Canada have been met. It is important to highlight that even though this document is needed to be admitted in the country, the decision to whether the person is allowed to enter or not is at the discretion of the official. In addition, applicants must obtain a TRV before planning any trip to Canada since this document cannot be obtained at a Canadian port of entry upon arrival. Generally, a standard length of 6 months is given but this could change depending on the officer’s decision and purpose of the trip.
The first step before applying is to find out if the person comes from a country of nationality that is not visa-exempt. Since visitors are considered temporary residents, restrictions apply to the length of stay, which is also subject to various conditions. In addition, even though there is a general process to apply for a TRV, there could be additional steps to follow depending on the country the applicant is applying from. That is why the Government of Canada has come up with country specific application packages.
Potential applicants must have a valid passport, enough funds for themselves and their family during their stay in Canada, a clean criminal record and any other additional information to prove that applicants will leave Canada when their trip is over. The latter is also referred to as ties to the country of origin. Documents such as roundtrip plane tickets, bank accounts, employment letters, properties or any other goods owned by the applicant in the home country serve as proof. This information is important and should be attached to the application as supporting documentation.
In addition, medical exams are generally not required if the stay will be less than 6 months. When it comes to biometrics, Canada has been expanding their mandatory biometrics procedures since 2017. It is currently mandatory for most nationalities as part of the application process to enrol in biometrics, which is basically providing the applicant’s picture and fingerprints. There are multiple biometric collection centres across the world that gather this information. Applicants will normally enrol in biometrics at the closest and most convenient centre.
Visitor visa for workers and students
While the rule of thumb is that visitor visa is for tourists and one cannot use it to study or work in Canada, it’s not the whole truth. There are exceptions to this rule, and in some limited cases one can use their visitor visa for more than just sightseeing.
If you’d like to come to Canada to study, you might apply for a visitor visa if you plan to attend a short-term study program that is less than 6 months in duration.
This is perfect for exchange students who come to Canada for one semester. It also accommodates many English and French language learners who come to Canada to improve their language skills by taking short-term courses. You should not apply for a visitor visa if the duration of your course of studies is more than 6 months in duration even if you only plan to study for less than six months. Student exchange visitor visas are an exception to this rule.
There are some advantages of applying for the student visitor visa for your studies. First of all, it costs $100 CAD, which is slightly less than a study permit. Secondly, although it’s not guaranteed, you might be granted a multi-entry visitor visa that is valid up to 10 years. This would allow you to come back to Canada for a visit after your short-term studies. However, you would still need to leave Canada after 6 months unless you apply for an extension of your stay as a visitor.
You might still want to apply for a Study Permit for your short-term study program if:
- You plan to work on campus.
- You might want to extend your studies.
Study permit holders who meet certain conditions can accept on-campus jobs, some of which are paid quite well. For example, you can make $35 per hour as a graduate teaching assistant. Find out if you qualify to apply for a study permit by visiting the government website.
Secondly, if your question is “can i convert visitor visa to student visa in Canada”, the answer is yes, but you may not be able to do so without leaving the country. Only a very limited number of people can apply for a study permit while they are physically in Canada. So, think ahead and avoid unnecessary expenses by applying for the document that will help you get what you want.
In addition to doing short-term studies, in Canada visitor visa for workers is also a possibility if they fall under certain categories:
- athlete or coach
- aviation accident or incident investigator
- business visitor
- civil aviation inspector
- convention organizer
- crew member
- emergency service provider
- examiner and evaluator
- expert witness or investigator
- family member of foreign representative
- foreign government officer or representative
- health care student
- judge, referee or similar official
- military personnel
- news reporter or film and media crew
- producer or staff member working on advertisements
- performing artist
- public speaker
- religious leader
- short-term highly skilled worker
- short-term researcher
These individuals often don’t need a work permit because they don’t enter the Canadian job market. For example, a business visit visa worker would be someone who is travelling to a Canadian branch of a foreign company to conduct trainings. Although they will go to work every day, they are still employed by a company abroad and they will return after a short visit. Contact our team of registered immigration consultants if you’d like to know if you are eligible for a foreign worker visitor visa.
Finally, even if you are in Canada on a study or work permit, you might still need to apply for a visitor visa, or a TRV. A permit alone does not give you a right to re-enter Canada, you need a visa to do so. For example, if you extend your study permit, you will not automatically be issued a new visa sticker. So, if your extension got approved but your visa is about to expire, make sure to submit an application for a visitor visa. You don’t need it if you don’t plan to leave and re-enter Canada, but you never know if you might have to make an unexpected trip abroad. Check the government website for instructions on how to apply, and remember to fill out your application at least 2 months before you intend to travel.
Regards,
SmartImmigrant
