Canadian Business Visas

Individuals may enter as visitors to Canada for many common business purposes. Entry as a Business Visitor may require an individual to first obtain a Temporary Residence Visa (TRV), depending on their country of nationality. Business Visitor status may be granted for activities such as the following:

• Participating in board of directors meetings, or meetings with clients.
• Purchasing Canadian goods or services for a foreign business.
• Participating in negotiations for contracts until they are signed.
• Receiving training.
• Attending a presentation or a conference.

Business Visitors to Canada may not directly engage in the Canadian labour market. Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will verify this by examining applications to ensure that the nature of the business activity is international in scope, principally located outside of Canada, and that the primary source of the visitor’s income is not based in Canada.

Exceptions to the above do exist for very specific situations and require proper disclosure and documentation in order to be permitted. These exceptions may include:

1. Aftersales services under warranty pursuant to a sales agreement or lease.
2. Services for software upgrades pursuant to an original contract of sale.
3. Short term assignments (15 or 30 days), for executive or professional-level workers, which are not expected to reoccur.

In order to enter Canada as a Business Visitor, the applicant either needs to hold a valid TRV, or if visa-exempt, to hold a valid Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). TRVs are obtained through application to a Canadian visa post abroad. Any documentation, if not already in English or French, will need to be accompanied by a French or English translation. Most applicants will also need to provide biometrics. If applying for a TRV, the biometrics are taken at the local Visa Application Centre (VAC), or if traveling with an eTA, at the Canadian port of entry. All applicants are required to demonstrate that they are visiting for a temporary period of time, with a travel itinerary that coincides with their business purpose, that they do not intend to work or study in Canada, and have no record of criminal activity. Canada screens all travelers for security risks.

Disclaimer

This document is a brief summary intended for information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Please consult with an experienced immigration lawyer before submitting a visa application.

For questions, please contact I.A. Donoso & Associates, LLC at canada@donosolaw.com.