Visitor's Visa

Under this program, Canadian employers are allowed to hire temporary foreign nationals to meet their labor needs. Most employers need an LMIA before hiring a temporary foreign worker, and most foreign nationals need an LMIA work permit to work in Canada. An LMIA indicates that no Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available to do a particular job and, therefore, a need to hire a temporary foreign worker. Before the employer can hire a temporary foreign national through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), certain steps must be taken to obtain a positive LMIA from the Employment and Social Development Canada.

Furthermore, before an applicant can apply for an LMIA work permit or an employer-specific work permit, they must receive an offer of employment from an employer with a positive LMIA. In 2019, about 190,000 employer-specific work permits were issued to foreign nationals.

You must meet some basic requirements to get a visitor visa. You must:

• have a valid travel document, like a passport
• be in good health
  have no criminal or immigration-related convictions
• convince an immigration officer that you have ties—such as a job, home, financial assets or family—that will take you back to your home country
• convince an immigration officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit
• have enough money for your stay
  • The amount of money you will need depends on how long you will stay and if you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.
• You may also need a medical exam and letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.
• Check the list of documents you need based on your situation.
• Some people are not allowed to enter Canada
  • Some people are not admissible to Canada, which means they are not allowed to enter the country. You can be inadmissible for several reasons, including being involved in:
    • criminal activity
    • human rights violations
    • organized crime
    • You can also be inadmissible for security, health or financial reasons.
  • Find out more about inadmissibility.

Minor children travelling to Canada:

Make sure you know what to do if your minor children (children under the age of 18) will be travelling with you, with someone else, or alone.

The chart below shows the top 10 source Countries for Visitor’s visa in 2019.

Data Source: Statistic and Open Data

Data Source: Top Source Countries – Visitor Visas (V-1 Counterfoil Only) Approved by IRCC (in Persons) Open Data

Key candidates for visitor’s visas are foreign nationals who require a visa to visit Canada. Visitors are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, but who are legally authorized to enter Canada to visit on holiday, visit family, or conduct business. Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months in Canada. A border services officer at the port of entry will stamp your passport with the date you need to leave Canada. Visitors to Canada are subject to various conditions that they must abide by if they want to have temporary legal status.

There are two methods of applying for a visitor visa; you can either apply for a visitor visa online or on paper and submit it at a visa application center in your Country.

Online Application: 

 Before submitting your application, read the instruction guide carefully. To make an online application, you will be required to complete the necessary form, validate, print, sign, and upload. To successfully submit an online application, you need the following:

•   A scanner or camera to scan or capture the electronic copies of all your supporting documents which must be uploaded, 
•   A valid credit card to make payment online. 

Follow this link to create an account online and apply for a visitor’s visa.  

You will be required to create an account online. Once the account has been created, you can start an application for a visitor’s visa. Submit your application, upload all your supporting documents, and make payment for your application online. Your online account can also be used to receive messages related to your application, check the status of your application, and update your information if necessary.

Paper-based Application:

To submit a paper-based application, visitors must read the instruction guide to get all the details to apply on paper. Find the link to the instruction guide IMM 5256: Visit a Visa Application Centers (VACs) to submit your paper application. The service fee charged by VAC differs from one country to another. Follow this link to find out about VAC in your country.

The application fee for one visitor is $100. You might need to pay other third-party fees directly to the third party depending on your situation, including the Visa Application Centre fee and medical examination fee.

If required, you must give your biometrics. Fingerprints and photos will be taken. After you submit your application and pay the biometrics fee, you will receive a letter that says you need to give your biometrics. The letter will tell you how and where to give your biometrics. You have up to 30 days to provide your biometrics. Visit this link to learn more about how to give your biometrics. Estimated Cost – $85 CAD Individual.

Standard Processing Time for a visitor’s visa or a TRV: 

The processing times for a visitor’s visa or a TRV application varies from one country to another. Follow this link to check the processing time for your Country.

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, there are travel restrictions put in place to stop discretionary travel to Canada. As a result of the travel restriction, an individual with a valid visitor visa or electronic travel authorization (eTA), may not be able to travel to Canada at this time or be guaranteed entry to Canada until the restrictions are lifted. However, IRCC has resumed the processing of online applications for visitor’s visas or eTA.