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​Types of Temporary Visas in Major Immigration Visas

This article walks you through the types, countries & all that you can do with a temporary visa.

Key Highlights

  • What is Canada Business visa?

  • Who can apply for Canada Business visa?

  • What can I do on a Canada Business visa?

  • How to apply for Canada Business visa?

Thinking about how to do business in Canada? Going to Canada on a short visit as a business visitor lets you hold meetings and attend conferences. While you cannot enter the Canadian labour market as a business visitor, you can gain some understanding of the same. 

 

Here, you will get to know the procedure for applying for a Canada Business visa, the documents required, the processing fee, and other details.

What is Canada Business Visa?

A Canada Business visa is a kind of visa that allows you to go to Canada temporarily for business purposes. If you intend to visit Canada on business, you will have to go as a business visitor. 

Which visa to apply for going to Canada on business?

Generally, a foreign national will need any of the following for a short visit to Canada - 

  • A visitor visa, or

  • An Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

 

You must have either of the above to enter Canada as a visitor. You can easily find out online if you will require a Canada visitor visa or eTA. Generally, those with Indian passports will have to get a Canada visitor visa.

What is the definition of a business visitor to Canada?

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) defines a business visitor or a business traveller as someone who - 

  • Comes to Canada for taking part in international trade or international business activities, 

  • Has no intention of entering the Canadian labor market, and 

  • Works for and is paid for by a company outside Canada or by a foreign government.

Can I set up business on Canada Business visa?

No. You will have to apply to another visa category - such as the Start-Up Visa, Saskatchewan’s Entrepreneur pathway, or British Columbia’s Entrepreneur Immigration route - to be able to set up your business in Canada. A Canada Business visitor visa allows you to do just that, visit Canada for business.

Who can apply for Canada Business visa?

You can apply for the Canadian Business visa, also called the Canada Business visitor visa, if you will be going to Canada temporarily to - 

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  • Take part in international business activities, 

  • Look for ways of growing your business, 

  • Investing, or 

  • Advancing your business relationships. 

 

Those coming to Canada as business visitors cannot enter the Canadian labour market.

How long can I stay in Canada as a business visitor?

​Generally, a business visitor to Canada remains in the country for a few days or a few weeks at a time. However, the Canada Business visa allows a maximum stay in Canada of up to six months.

What are the Canada Business visa requirements?

A business visitor to Canada must have - 

  • No plans for entering the Canadian labour market, 

  • The intention of staying in Canada for less than six months, 

  • Your main place of business outside Canada, and

  • Documents to support your application. 

You must also meet the basic entry requirements.

What are the basic entry requirements for Canada Business visa?

You must have - 

  • A valid passport, 

  • Sufficient funds to stay and to return home, and

  • Plan of leaving Canada at the end of your visit.

 

You must not be a criminal and hold any risk, of health or security, to Canadians.

Do I need to apply for a work permit for a Canada Business visa?

Business visitors don’t require a Canada work permit.

Do I require a Letter of Invitation for Canada Business visa?

​A Letter of Invitation will be required. This must be from the Canadian company hosting you as a business visor from abroad. A representative of the Canadian company should write the letter of invitation. Each visitor will require two originals of the Letter of Invitation - one of them will be used for the Canada Business visa application. The other will have to be presented on entering Canada.

What can I do on a Canada Business visa?

Activities that you can take part in as a business visitor in Canada include, among others - 

  • Attending business meetings, 

  • Taking part in conferences, 

  • Participating in conventions, 

  • Being part of trade fairs,

  • Being trained by company in Canada that has sold you services or equipment, 

  • Taking orders for services or goods, 

  • Buying Canadian services or goods for a foreign business or government, 

  • Providing after-sales service as a part of a warranty or sales agreement, 

  • Training the employees of a Canadian branch of a foreign company, 

  • Being trained by a Canadian parent company that you work for outside Canada.

What should be included in Canada Business visa Letter of Introduction?

The Invitation Letter for a Canada Business visa must contain information about - 

  1. The individual being invited, 

  2. The individual extending the invitation, and

  3. The company extending the invitation.

​Can my dependents come with me?

No. Dependents can’t be included in Canada Business visa applications.

Where can I apply for Canada Business visa?

You will have to apply online through the IRCC portal.

How to apply for Canada Business visa?

The basic steps to apply for a Canada Business visa - 

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STEP 1: Check your eligibility to travel to Canada. 

You must be fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.

STEP 2: Check the list of documents based on your situation. 

STEP 3: Apply Online

  • Create an IRCC Account 

  • Upload your documents

  • Pay the fee 

STEP 4: Give your biometrics, fingerprint and photograph. 

Biometrics will have to be given at a Visa Application Centre (VAC).

STEP 5: Passport submission, if visa application approved.

STEP 6: Prepare for your travel to and arrival in Canada. 

Keep your documents ready with you to be shown to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the port of entry.

Do I have to submit my travel history for Canada Business visa?

A travel history proves that you have been able to secure a visa - from Canada or any other country that you might have traveled to - in the past. Your travel history will include a clear copy of one or more of the following - 

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  • Previous passports and visas issued within the last 10 years, 

  • Expired or valid visas, 

  • Entry and exit stamps,

  • Study permits, and

  • Work permits. 

 

Submission of the travel history is optional and can be included with the visa application.

Do I have to submit my itinerary for Canada Business visa?

An itinerary contains documents showing how long you plan on staying in Canada and what you intend to do while in the country. Your itinerary can include your -

 

  • Flight details, 

  • Hotel reservations, and 

  • Registration for an event. 

 

Submission of the itinerary is optional and can be included with the visa application.

Should I submit my account statement for Canada Business Visa application?

A bank account statement can help IRCC understand that you have enough money for supporting yourself during your stay in Canada. Your account statement must contain - 

 

  • Bank name and contact information, 

  • Proof that the bank account is in your name (the name and address on the statement should be yours), and

  • Account details of at least six months, including balances. 

 

Submission of the account statement is optional and can be included with the visa application.

Do I have to submit my employer information for Canada Business Visa application?

A letter from your employer, printed on your employer’s official letterhead, can - 

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  • Confirm that you have a stable job and will return to it, and 

  • Show that your employer supports your Canada visit. 

 

Submission of your employer information is optional and can be included with the visa application. 

​Can I extend my stay in Canada as a business visitor?

Yes, you can extend your stay in Canada. Generally, visitors can stay in Canada for up to six months.

How to extend my stay as a Business Visitor in Canada?

If you want to extend your Canadian stay as a visitor, you will be required to apply for a Canada visitor record.

Where do I apply for Canadian Business visitor visa extension?

​You will have to apply online through the official IRCC website.

​What is the Canada Business visa fee?

$100 is the IRCC fee for processing Canada visitor visas for business purposes.

What is the processing time for Canada Business visa?

As of now, the processing time is 106 days when applying for a Canada visitor visa from India.

How can We help you?

Cross Borders Overseas Consultancy is the best visa consultant in India. Served 24K+ customers and over 4K+ active cases. 

 

We are the best immigration agents because,

  • Dedicated Case Officer: We offer personal assistance and a single point of contact between the company and you, throughout the process.

  • Decade-long Expertise: We have an experienced team with a proven track of success

  • Guided documentation: Right from evaluation to Visa application and documentation, followed by post-landing services.

  • Highlighting opportunities: Highlighting high-potential opportunities across global industries

  • Helping you succeed: Be it providing you with interview training, French/English courses or working samples for resumes, cover letters or assisting with application forms, medical or police clearance certificates - we will always be there for you. 

 

You can expect a one-stop solution for all your visa needs from profile evaluation, documentation, and application drafting to post-visa services with Cross Borders Overseas Consultancy.

 

Begin working on your visa application today.

Other Important FAQs

1. What is a visitor record for Canada?

A visitor record is not a visa. The visitor record will have to be applied for if you want to stay longer in Canada as a visitor.

 

2. Who can be a business visitor?

Yes, you can apply for a different visa while you are here on a New Zealand Visitor Visa. You can apply for a student, work or residence visa while holding a Visitor Visa. The outcome of your new application will however depend upon meeting the requirements of your new visa. You are advised to review the information on possible options if you wish to change status.

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3. Are business visitors and business people the same?

No, a business person is not the same as a business visitor. Business people might enter and work in Canada if they qualify under a free trade agreement, such as Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). A business visitor is someone that comes to Canada to participate in international business activities.

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4. What is Canada eTA?

Linked electronically to a passport, an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for Canada is an entry requirement for foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries that will be travelling to Canada by air.

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5. How can I get a business visa for Canada?

Depends on whether you want to go to Canada on business or to set up a business. If you have to go to Canada for a short stay for business reasons, you will have to apply for the Canada Visitor visa. A Start-Up visa for Canada can be your route to Canadian immigration, provided you have an innovative business idea that will give jobs to Canadians.

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6. How much money is required for a Canadian business visa?

If going to Canada as a visitor on business, you will need proof of having sufficient funds covering your stay in Canada and trip back home.

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​7. How much should I invest in Canada to get PR?

The federal Immigrant Investor Program of Canada is closed and not accepting applications. Quebec Investor Program is temporarily suspended.

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8. Can I start a business in Canada without PR?

No. To be able to start a business in Canada you must first be a business immigrant. Canada’s Start-up Visa lets you immigrate to Canada by - 

  • setting up an innovative business,

  • that can compete on the global scale, and 

  • creates jobs for Canadians.

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9. Can a foreigner open business in Canada?

Owning a business in Canada as a foreign national is possible. However, starting and managing a Canadian business will require due work authorization. It is recommended to get PR status in Canada so that you can manage your Canadian business on a permanent basis.

You can apply for Start-Up visa or Entrepreneur streams under the Canadian Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

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10. What is the cost for Canada Business visa extension?

Fees for Canada visitor visa extension is from $100.

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11. What’s the difference between a Canada visitor visa and a visitor record?

The differences between a Canadian visitor visa and Canada visitor record are - 

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Canada Visit Visa & Record.png

Cross Borders Overseas Consultancy is NOT a RECRUITMENT / PLACEMENT AGENCY, We neither assist in any kind of Job / employment offers nor do guarantee any kind of domestic/International placements.

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