Frequently asked questions about visas for students, workers and tourists coming to Canada

Foreign workers, international students, and tourists in Canada on a work / study permit, or visitor visa may require a visa depending on what nationality they currently hold.

Work and study visas are an important part of the immigration journey for those that require them and are distinct from work and study permits. Below CIC News has compiled the most common questions that newcomers have, regarding visas for workers and students.

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What is the difference between a visa and a permit?

Work and study permits are essential documents that allow foreign nationals to work / study and live in Canada for the duration of their permit validity. Permits confer a legal status on to the holder and determine what the holder can do in the country and for how long.

Work permits in Canada can broadly be broken down into Open Work Permits (OWPs) and closed/Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based work permits.

Visas on the other hand (whether associated with a work permit, study permit, or simply a tourist visa), allow for entry and re-entry (if eligible) to Canada at a port of entry. Visas essentially empower holders to cross a border with proof that they have been conferred a legal status and are approved to enter or re-enter Canada. Work, study, and visitor visas (the kind obtained by tourists visiting Canada) are broadly known as temporary resident visas (TRVs). Those who (by virtue of their nationality) do not require a TRV will likely instead require an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

Can I pay for a visa/eTA in my country’s local currency?

Many newcomers to Canada can pay for their visas or eTAs in their local currency. To confirm if this applies to your situation, you can use IRCC’s page here, to see whichvisa office will process immigration applications from your country of residence. This will give you a better idea of whether you can pay in your local currency..

Should I apply for an eTA or visa at the same time that I apply for my work/study permit?

IRCC advises not to apply for (depending on your citizenship) an eTA or a visa when submitting a work or study permit application. An eTA or visa will be issued to successful applicants at the same time as their work or study permit is processed.

Applicants who require a work or study visa should be aware that they will need to submit their passport at a Canadian visa office to have the document issued to them.

Once I have a temporary resident (work/study/tourist) visa, can I leave Canada and come back?

There are two kinds of temporary resident visa: single-entry and multiple-entry visas.

Temporary residents (students, workers, and tourists) with a single-entry visa will need a new visa to re-enter Canada. You can ask to return to the country on your original single-entry visa, only if:

• You are travelling to the United States, St. Pierre and Miquelon; and
• You will return to Canada before the end of your approved stay.

The above conditions also apply for those asking to return to Canada on an expired visitor visa.

Temporary residents with a multiple-entry visa can leave and come back to Canada multiple times within the period of their visa validity.

How do I know when my temporary resident status (as a student/worker/tourist) in Canada has expired?

Newcomers who are in Canada on a work or study permit can check their document to see when their temporary resident status expires.

There may be cases where your visa/eTA expires before your temporary residence status (as indicated on a visitor record or permit) —in which case you may need to apply for an extension of your visa or renew your eTA.

For tourists arriving at a port of entry in Canada, a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will place a stamp in their passport with a handwritten note, or issue a new document, indicating their date of entry.

Officers may occasionally write a small note below the stamp, indicating the exact date that your temporary status expires. If there is no stamp, handwritten note, or new document issued in your passport, your temporary status will expire six months from the day that you arrived in Canada.

I received a new passport, but my valid visa is in my old one, can I still use the visa in my old passport?

Newcomers in this situation can still come to Canada using the visa in their old passport. To do so, they will need to bring both their old passport (containing the valid visa), and their new valid passport or travel document.

IRCC advises that while this method is legitimate, newcomers should still try to obtain a new visa in their valid passport to avoid potential delays at the border. Newcomers may also need to explain why their old passport or travel document is no longer valid.

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