Canada visa status: how coming to canada is made easy

Career & Training

December 25, 2021

Canada visa status: how coming to canada is made easy

Canada visa status: how coming to Canada is made easy – Canada welcomes Visitors, Tourists, students, and temporary workers regularly. These are all considered as temporary residents. As a matter of fact, they are people who enter Canada for a temporary purpose. They do not intend remaining in Canada or become a permanent resident.
Most professionals fall under these categories. Professionals attend global or international conferences and seminars/workshops from time to time. They therefore, require visas for such visits. In fact, i am one of them. I confess that there are challenges relating to various types of visa suitable for each group of professionals, students, or tourists. That is the thrust of this post. We present solutions to some of the challenges you face verifying your visa status. I urge you to read on.

Table of Contents

Entry Requirements:

This is the part of your travel arrangement you must verify before you embark on this journey. Do you know that Citizens of the United States, Australia and most countries in Western Europe do not require visas to come to Canada? However, visitors from most other countries of the world require a Canadian visa. So, if you have a Canadian visa, you become a temporary resident. In fact, this is status which the visa you are holding bestows on you. That is your permit to enter Canada as a visitor.

As a matter of fact, for verifications, a Canadian Consulate or Embassy can tell you whether you need a visa to visit Canada or not. In addition, you are free also to visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website to find out if you need a visa to visit Canada.

Furthermore, as a general rule, visitors re not allowed to work or study in Canada. But if you want to, you have to obtain authorization from IRCC. And this will require you to present a work or study permit.

Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) – Canada visa status: how coming to Canada is made easy

There has been a change here since 2016. This is to the effect that foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries coming to Canada by air are now to present an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Others to do this are those transiting through Canada. Excepted are U.S. citizens and travelers with a valid visa. However there is no change for those entering through land and sea.

There is challenges here too. This is , because an eTA is electronically linked to the traveler’s passport. Again, this document is valid for five years or until the passport expires. Do you know that every applications for eTA’s is done online on the IRCC website? This medium has proved to be faster as the authorization is issued immediately after submitting the online form.

We recommend you apply for it when you are planning for your trip. That is better than waiting until you are ready to travel. In addition, it’s a condition that the passport you used in applying for the eTA must be the one for your traveling. Furthermore, you can apply for one person only at a time. For example, for a family of three, you must complete and submit the form three times.

Basic requirements to enter Canada

In this regard, every visitor to Canada, must meet some basic requirements. So checkout here, you can score your readiness here now.

have all valid travel document;
Must be healthy
satisfy an Immigration Officer that you have ties – These are job, home, financial assets and family, that will make you go back to your home country;
Show evidence that that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit; and
That you have enough money for your stay.
Visitors may also be required to undergo a medical exam, or provide a letter of invitation from someone who lives in Canada.

Temporary resident visas

Temporary resident visa is what is required for every visitors wishing to Canada. However, you still have to note that a valid temporary resident visa is not a guarantee to enter Canada. This is because an Officer at the port of entry will decide if you still meet the requirements or not. But don’t worry, over 90% of those at this point gain admission at arriving in Canada’s port of entry.

Furthermore, because Temporary resident visas re obtained from outside Canada, you re expected to apply at least one month before your intended visit Canada. This is simple, you can be submitted by mail or in person to a visa office. But then, ensure you have a valid passport or travel document. Your two recent passport sized photos and for your accompanying family members, together with other documents or forms that are specific in your country of origin, must be provided. At any rate, if you still want to apply or get necessary information, contact your nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate.

You must also for Canada visa status: how coming to Canada is made easy

There was a checklist above for your permanent residence permit; here again is another checklist for your admission into Canada. So, you must

satisfy an immigration Officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit,
show that you have enough money on you. This is to enable you to maintain yourself and your family members in Canada and to return home,
Furthermore, with no intention to work or study in Canada unless authorized to do so,
be law abiding. There must be evidence of having no record of criminal activity,
not be a risk to the security of Canada,
And you must provide any additional document requested by the Officer to establish your admissibility, and
be in good health and available to complete a medical examination if required.

NOTES on Canada visa status – how coming to Canada is made easy

In conclusion to this, you have to note that;

The expiry date for visitor status is either stamped in the passport or on the document of visitor record.
Note also that the stamp is valid for six months. At any rate, if there is no stamp or documented date of expiry, be aware that your visitor status will expire six months after your date of arrival.
Do you also know that a single entry visa allows you to enter Canada only once? What about a multiple entry visa. Yea! This allows you to enter Canada from any country multiple times during the validity of the visa.
You must submit your application to the Canadian visa office or Visa Application Centre (VAC) responsible for your area. For a list of visa offices, visit IRCC.

I am sure that you re well-equipped now to arrange for your scholarship, tours/visit, conferences/seminars, trainings and university education in Canada. Get Started Here

Extending your visit

Now, for any reason,, you want to extend your stay in Canada, there are procedures to follow to avoid being an illegal immigrant. If this is your intention, you can apply in writing while your visitor status is still valid. This process takes approximately one month to complete. You have to ask for this extension because it’s an offence under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to remain in Canada once your visitor status has expired. Therefore, you have to make this extension application in well-enough time before your immigration status expires. Get details of relevant office from Canadian Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada office.

Study permit

Furthermore, you don’t just travel to a country and decide to work or study. You must have made this arrangement and indicate it in your travel documents before leaving your home country. In fact, this is very essential because the full details must be included in your application. However, a study permit is not needed for any program of study that is six months or less. You can see that your normal visit is for 6-months. So, it’s not necessary to include such courses that re not academic in the application. in fact, travels for professionals or vocational in nature re only included in tour packages as a secondary activity for tourists.

So, for all other studies, you must obtain a study permit before entering Canada. If you are a student, you can apply at a Canadian Consulate, Embassy, or High Commission. Note, also that a study permit is valid for the duration of the course of study. However, applying for a study permit, requires you to submit letter of acceptance from the school you plan to attend in Canada, which must be a designated learning institution (DLI). Other requirements include that you must be financial okay to sustain yourself in Canada and to return to your home country in the end.

Extending your Visa:

This is applicable by those who are in Canada already. You may need to extend your visa for one reason or the other. Yes! That you have a study permit or work permit does not mean your visa is valid and would cover your work or study time. So, you have to do the essential. This is because the Government will not automatically issue a visitor visa if you have an extended work or study permit. This means that if you need a new vis you must apply. In this case you must be able to apply at least 2 months before your visa expires.

Therefore, because you are inside Canada already, you must meet the following conditions. So, you must prove that you;

Are already in Canada
Hold a valid study or work permit
Want to leave and return to Canada in the near future
Have an existing visitor visa that is expired or was valid for only one entry

The process for Canada visa status: how coming to Canada is made easy

Students may only study at the school named on the study permit. So, if you want to change academic institutions, you must apply for a change to the conditions of your study permit.
However, international students in post-secondary studies in Canada can transfer between programs of study and institutions. Due to the nature of their studies this can be done without applying for a change to the conditions of study permit.
As a students you may extend your study permits by applying before your current permits expires.
But on a general note, foreign students re not allowed to work while studying in Canada. However, full-time students at publicly funded or degree granting institutions may apply for work permits. In addition, the post-graduation work program now allows certain students to obtain a work permit and work in their area of study for up-to three years in Canada.

Temporary changes due to COVID-19

The advent of COVID-19 has change certain things. Therefore, for this, the Government of Canada has implemented temporary changes to various immigration programs and procedures – visit canada.ca.

Read Also for Canada visa status – how coming to Canada is made easy –

Get help for Canada visa status. This is how coming to Canada is made easy

For more information on coming to Canada as a visitor or student, including application processing fees, contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. And to find foreign consulates and embassies in your province, click here.

A criminal record will delay you, and can even prevent you from getting your immigration documents stamped. To get a police report contact here. If you wish to visit, work in, or settle in Canada, for al legal travel documents click here.

Ane Nworgu

Canada visa status: how coming to canada is made easy

Entry Requirements: