Visas & Work Permits

Temporary Resident Visas

Temporary Resident Visa is a counterfoil stamped in your passport that gives you authorisation to travel to Canada as a worker, student or a visitor.

However, to enter Canada, you are required to satisfy the officer at the Port of Entry that you will leave Canada by the end of your authorised stay.

Work Permits

There are two types of work permits that allow you to come to Canada as a worker – Open Work Permit and Employer-specific Work Permit.

1. Open Work Permit allows you to work for any employer in any position and anywhere in the country excluding the following:

Where the employer previously failed to comply with the conditions and is listed ineligible;
If the employer offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages.

For more information about the specific situation that applies to granting Open Work Permits, visit this website:
Who can apply for an open work permit? (cic.gc.ca)

2. Employer-specific work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer and it allows you to work in Canada for up to two years. This type of work permit is restricted to the Employer, Position, and the locations of work.

A closed work permit is either LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) based, or LMIA-exempt depending upon the category one is applying under.

Work Permit Extensions

You can apply to extend your work permit if your current one is expiring.

Work Permit extensions must be applied for at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the existing work permit.

A new work permit application is required along with the required documents if
– the current work permit is expiring, or
– if you want to change the conditions of the work permit.

If you apply to extend the work permit before the expiry of the existing one, you are legally authorized to continue working with the previous conditions until a decision is made on the new application. This is called Maintained Status.

Restoration of Status

If you as a Temporary Resident have lost your status or failed to apply for an extension of your Temporary Resident Visa before the expiration of the existing one, you can apply for restoring the status provided that the application is submitted within 90 days of the expiry of the status.

You must however stop working or studying once the authorised period to work or study has expired.

Further information can be found at Restoration of temporary resident status – Canada.ca

Study Permit

Want to study in Canada? You can apply for a Study Permit after registering with a Designated Learning Institute (DLI).

Visit this website to identify an DLI for your desired field of study:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/designated-learning-institutions-list.html

Study Permit could be applied for either in Student Direct Stream (SDS) or the Regular Stream based upon numerous factors such as:
• the country you reside in,
• your language abilities,
• amount of tuition fee you paid, etc.

Visitor Visa

Visitor Visa allows you to enter and remain in Canada for up to 6 months.

You might need a Visitor Visa to enter Canada depending on the travel documents you carry. If you are from a Visa-Exempt country, you will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada by flight.

Entry Requirements by Country can be found at Entry requirements by country or territory – Canada.ca

Super Visa

Currently, most visitors to Canada may visit for up to six months when they first enter Canada. Visitors who wish to stay longer must apply for an extension, and pay a new fee.

With the parent and grandparent super visa, eligible parents and grandparents can visit family in Canada for up to two years without the need to renew their status.

There are also specific requirements that you must meet to be able to get a super visa. See Who is eligible for a parent and grandparent super visa?

Visa Extensions

Study and work permit holders

If your visitor visa expired and you need to leave and return to Canada, you need to apply for a new visitor visa.