Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa or Temporary Resident Permit to enter Canada?

Depending on your situation, to enter Canada you may require either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Temporary Resident Permit (TRP), or neither.

To enter and stay in Canada, foreign nationals must obtain a TRV unless they are from a visa-exempt country.

A TRP, on the other hand, authorizes entry for foreign nationals who would otherwise be ineligible to enter the country, such as foreign nationals with driving under the influence (DUI) charges or a history of other serious criminal offences.

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Both TRVs and TRPs allow foreign nationals to enter and stay in Canada on a temporary basis but there are several key differences between the two:

Differentiating factors	Temporary Resident Visa	Temporary Resident Permit
Purpose	Allows temporary entry for tourism/visiting, work, or study	Grants temporary entry to foreign nationals deemed inadmissible or non-compliant under IRPA or IRPR
Who needs it?	Visa-required foreign nationals	Individuals who -Are criminally inadmissible; -Are medically inadmissible; -Are financially inadmissible; -Have misrepresented themselves; or -Were found not to be in compliance with IRPA or IRPR
Eligibility	Must be admissible to Canada	Requires justification for entry despite inadmissibility or IRPA non-compliance
Application process	Standard visa application (proof of ties to home country, funds, intent to leave)	Case-by-case approval
Length of authorized stay	Issued for the length of study or work permit, or up to 6 months for visitors/tourists––with a maximum validity period of up to 10 years	Issued for the length of stay with a maximum validity period of up to 3 years
Cost to apply	$100	$239.75
Process of renewal	Apply for a new TRV online at least two months before valid status expires	Apply for a new TRP online before the current one expires, ideally 3 to 6 months in advance

TRVs and TRPs provide two entirely different legal authorizations, and a foreign national would only ever need to apply for one or the other depending on their circumstances.

In both cases, applicants must prove that their stay will indeed be temporary, meaning they intend to return to their home country at the end of their authorized stay.

Having obtained a TRV or TRP does not guarantee entry to Canada. Entering Canada as a non-citizen is always at the discretion of the border control officer.

Admissible foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries typically require an electronic travel authorization (eTA) when arriving in Canada by air, rather than a TRV.

What is a Temporary Resident Permit?

When seeking entry to Canada, a foreign national is typically subject to a set of admissibility requirements; if you are inadmissible and wish to enter Canada, you must apply for a TRP rather than a TRV.

There are five common reasons why a foreign national may be inadmissible:

• Medical inadmissibility: Being a danger to public safety, health, or potentially placing an excessive demand on health or public services due to one's health condition.
• Criminal inadmissibility: Having committed, been charged with or being under pending charges for, or having been convicted of a criminal offence.
• Misrepresentation: Accidentally or intentionally misrepresenting information in an immigration application.
• Financial inadmissibility: An inability to prove and satisfy an immigration officer of one’s ability to provide financial support for themselves and/or those dependent on them, or a lack of adequate arrangements being made for care and support.
• Non-compliance: Violating Canadian immigration law, such as working in Canada without authorization, or remaining in Canada beyond one's authorized period of stay.

A TRP allows individuals who are deemed inadmissible to enter Canada temporarily despite their inadmissibility, provided their need to enter Canada outweighs their potential risk to Canadian society.

When applying for a TRP, foreign nationals must explain their reason for needing to enter Canada, as well as

• Provide documentation that supports their need to temporarily enter Canada;
• Provide proof of sufficient funds to show they can financially support themselves during their stay; and
• Include evidence of actions taken to resolve the reasons behind their inadmissibility (if applicable).

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*Foreign nationals may be eligible for a work and/or study permit if the TRP is issued for six months or longer.

Compelling reasons for entry

The following are examples of circumstances which could be considered compelling reasons for a need to enter Canada:

• Business-related travel, including conferences or essential meetings.
• Significant family events, like weddings or memorial services.
• Ill or dying family members requiring the foreign national’s presence.
• Urgent family emergencies necessitating immediate travel.
• Unavoidable transit through Canadian ports of entry when alternative routes are unavailable.

For example, a tech executive from California with a recent DUI conviction needs to attend urgent contract negotiations in Toronto that could bring $50 million in investments to Canada. Because she is a key figure in these negotiations and her presence at this meeting would economically benefit Canadian society and its citizens, she could present a strong case for being granted a single-entry TRP.

Immigration officers review each case to determine if compelling circumstances exist that warrant approval.

Qualifying individuals can apply for a TRP at a Canadian consulate, via mail, or at a port of entry (airport, land crossing, or sea entry point). Each family member must fill out their own TRP application, but the family should submit them all together.

Length of stay and validity

TRP holders must leave Canada once their TRP expires or apply for a new TRP (if needed and justified) from within Canada—if their permit was issued for any period under three years. The TRP must still be valid (that is, not expired), at the time the new permit is requested.

These permits are granted at the discretion of the immigration officer reviewing the applicant's case, and can be issued for durations ranging from as little as one day up to a maximum of three years. Typically, they are issued for the length of an applicant’s stay.

Applicants will be issued a single-entry or multiple-entry permit at the immigration officer’s discretion. TRPs may also be cancelled at an officer’s discretion at any time.

Those who wish to leave and re-enter Canada can only do so if they have the multiple entry permit. If a single-permit entry holder leaves Canada, they will not be permitted to re-enter.

What is a Temporary Resident Visa?

A TRV is an official document issued by a Canadian Immigration Visa Office outside Canada. It is placed in a foreign national’s passport to indicate that they’ve satisfied the requirements to enter Canada temporarily.

Eligibility

In most cases, all foreign nationals, unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country Canada, must apply for and be granted a TRV to be permitted entry into the country.

Individuals that may qualify for a TRV include the following:

• International students with a study permit;
• Temporary foreign workers with a work permit;
• Foreign nationals transiting through a Canadian airport on their way to their final destination;
• Tourists; and
• Visitors.

Foreign nationals falling into one of the above positions will only be granted a TRV if they are eligible. Eligibility is determined by

• Demonstrating intent to leave Canada upon expiration of authorized stay;
• Providing proof of sufficient funds to cover expenses during the stay and return travel;
• Avoiding unauthorized employment or studies unless proper authorization is obtained;
• Having a clean criminal record and providing no risk to Canada’s security;
• Submitting necessary documentation to verify admissibility; and
• Being in good health and taking a medical exam if required.

Family members that wish to accompany the primary TRV candidate must fill out their own TRV application(s), but all applications can be submitted together.

Applications can be submitted online or sent to a local Visa Application Center.

Permanent residents (PR) outside Canada without a valid PR card and individuals that are inadmissible to Canada cannot apply for a TRV.

Length of stay and validity

A TRV permits its holder to stay in Canada for up to six months at a time (from the date of entry) and can be valid for up to 10 years, or until one of the following occurs:

• The TRV holder’s passport expires; or
• The TRV holder’s biometrics expire.

This visa may be issued as either single entry or multiple entry, with the determination made by a visa officer based on the purpose of travel. It does not require validity for the entire duration of stay, provided the holder does not intend to exit and re-enter Canada during that period.

Visitors and tourists on a TRV are typically admitted for a period of six months, whereas international students and temporary foreign workers are generally granted TRVs with longer periods of validity—which are determined on a case-by-case basis.

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Foreign nationals who can enter on an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) without needing a visa

Most travellers to Canada will either require a visa to enter the country or be visa exempt. Travellers who require a visa will need to apply for a TRV, while visa-exempt travellers may apply for an eTA. The latter is significantly easier to obtain, requiring far less processing time.

Nationals from the following countries and territories are visa exempt and may apply for an eTA if entering Canada by air.

Nationals of visa-exempt countries or territories do not require an eTA if entering Canada by land or sea.

Note: US citizens and green card holders and French nationals residing in and arriving directly from St. Pierre and Miquelon do not need a visa or eTA.

Conditional eTA eligibility

Citizens from certain countries who typically need a TRV might qualify for an eTA to fly to Canada instead of obtaining a visa, permitting they meet the three requirements listed below.  

• They’ve been a TRV holder within the past 10 years or held a US nonimmigrant visa on the day of application;
• Their stay is temporary in nature, usually not exceeding six months in length; and
• They hold a valid passport from an eligible visa-required country, which they use to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. 

However, if a citizen from one of these countries plans to come to Canada by any of the following means, a valid TRV will be required:

• Driving from the US to Canada in a personal vehicle; or
• Arriving on a boat, bus, or train.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advises foreign nationals coming to work or study in Canada not to apply for a work or study permit and TRV at the same time. They should receive their permit prior to applying for a TRV.

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