frequently asked questions

Most travellers need a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport. If you do not have the proper documents, such as an eTA or visa, you may be delayed or prevented from boarding your flight to Canada. 

Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months in Canada. If you want to stay longer than your authorized stay, you should apply for an extension at least 30 days before the authorized end of your stay. 

Most foreign nationals need a study permit to study in Canada. Your study permit isn’t a travel document. If IRCC approves your study permit, they’ll also give you either a visitor visa or an eTA, depending on which document you need.  

You don’t need a study permit to come to Canada to study for 6 months or less. However, you still need a valid travel document (visitor visa or eTA) to come to Canada.

An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, you will not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker. A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter. 

Depending on your citizenship, you may need an eTA or a visitor visa, as well as a work permit. Your eTA or visa will be issued to you at the same time as your work permit.

To help you meet the income requirement to sponsor your parents and grandparents, your co-signer can be your spouse or common-law partner. If your common-law partner is your co-signer, you’ll have to submit a form to confirm your common-law status with your application. 

 You need a valid permanent resident (PR) card to prove you’re a permanent resident when you return to Canada from another country.

 No. When your PR card expires, you still have your PR status and can stay in Canada. However, if you leave the country, you'll need a valid PR card to return to Canada by commercial vehicle. You can only renew your PR card from within Canada.

No. To sponsor your spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner in Canada, you don't have to meet a Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). 

However, you'll have to sign an undertaking agreeing to provide for the basic financial needs of the person you sponsor, usually for a period of three years.