Canada Visa

What Non-Immigrant Canada Visa Types Are Available?

Whether you want to work, study, or relax, Canada is a wonderful place to go. Canada is a vast, beautiful land that offers a multitude of social, cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities. If you want to go to Canada, one of the first things you have to figure out is whether or not you need a Canada visa.

Visiting Canada

If you are visiting Canada temporarily, you may or may not need a Canada visa for temporary residents. Citizens of several countries, including Bolivia, Bangladesh, and Benin, need a temporary resident visa to visit Canada. Citizens of certain countries, such as the Australia, France, the United States, and Israel, do not require a visa to visit Canada for six months or less. In addition, permanent residents of the United States, British citizens, and citizens of British dependent territories do not need a visa to visit Canada for periods of six months or less.

Even if you are exempt from a Canada visa, you still have to show an immigration officer that you satisfy all other requirements to enter Canada. Some of these basic requirements include being in good health, having a valid travel document, satisfying a Canadian immigration officer that you’ll leave at the end of your visit, and having enough money for your stay. You may also be asked to provide a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Studying in Canada

If you want to apply for a Canada visa for students, you have to be accepted into a recognized school, university, or college in Canada. Not everyone is required to obtain a study permit or temporary resident visa to study in Canada, however. If you wish to participate in a short-term course or study program in Canada that lasts six months or less, you do not need to apply for a study permit. Nevertheless, many students choose to apply for a study permit in case they decide to continue their studies in Canada. Without a study permit, you would have to leave the country in order to apply for a study permit at a Canadian visa office.

To qualify for a Canada visa for students, you must prove that you have enough money to pay for your tuition fees, living expenses, and return transportation. You also have to be in good health, have no criminal record, and satisfy an immigration officer that you will leave Canada after completing your studies.

Working Temporarily in Canada

Over 150,000 foreign workers enter Canada each year to work temporarily in jobs that help employers in Canada address skills shortages. Temporary foreign workers also serve as live-in caregivers. Most temporary foreign workers must apply for a Canada visa for temporary foreign workers, or a work permit. To be eligible to apply for a work permit, you must have been offered a job by a Canadian employer. Some jobs, such as performing artists, public speakers, news reporters, and business visitors, do not require a work permit. If you have a valid study permit and are a full-time student at a post-secondary institution, you are allowed to work on the campus of the institution where you study.