August 20th, 2023 at 05:31 am
Canada Visitor Visa Biggest Updates 2023: Do’s & Don’ts
We’ll talk about what you can and cannot do during a visitor visit in this article. It is crucial to secure the required travel documentation, such as a visiting visa, if you intend to travel to a foreign nation. You can enter the nation for a predetermined amount of time with a visitor visa, typically for leisure, business, or medical reasons.
On the other hand, it’s critical to realize that there are constraints and limitations on what you can and cannot do with a visiting visa. It might help you avoid potential legal issues and make the most of your stay if you are aware of the rules and regulations prior to your journey.
These significant specifics will be covered in this article.
Canada Tourist Visa
To enter Canada to work or study, anyone who is neither a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident must apply for and be granted a temporary residence visa. Unless you are from a nation that does not require visas, you must apply for a visiting or tourist visa if all you plan to do is visit Canada.
While work and study permits are given out for carrying out particular tasks in Canada, a visiting visa has a wider range of applications. That does not, however, imply that there are no limitations on what you can and cannot do when visiting Canada.
DO’s
Enter and Stay in Canada
First and foremost, a tourist visa enables you to travel to Canada. Your visitor visa grants you temporary legal legitimacy to live or travel anywhere in Canada once you are there. However, keep in mind that this is only a temporary situation. Visas for visitors may be granted for up to six months.
The official issuing your visa will specify how long it will be valid in advance. Once the validity period has passed, your visa will expire and you will no longer be able to legally enter Canada as a visitor.
Transit through Canada
Even if Canada isn’t where you’re going, but you have to pass through it to get there, you could still need to apply for a visitor’s visa.
Search for Work in Canada
Visitors are not explicitly barred from looking for work while they are in Canada, but visitor visas are not intended to be used as a means of doing so. Finding a job domestically rather than abroad may be more successful because Canadian employers frequently prefer to meet potential hires in person.
But if you do decide to look for a job while you’re on a guest visa, bear in mind the following;
- First, never lie to an immigration official about why you are visiting Canada.
- Second, regardless of the results of your job hunt, you will need to demonstrate that you intend to return to your country after your visiting visa expires.
- The third requirement is that you must demonstrate that you will not work in Canada without a legal work permit.
Join a Short-Term Course in Canada
Normally, to be able to study in Canada, you must obtain study permission. The following prerequisites must be met, while there are a few uncommon exceptions that let you study in Canada on a visiting visa:
- First and foremost, the school giving the course is not a designated learning institute.
- Second, the course or program’s duration is fewer than six months.
- Thirdly, the course does not form a larger curriculum.
- Fourth, you’ll finish the program before your tourist visa expires.
Apply to Extend your Stay in Canada
Visas for visitors may be granted for up to six months. But you can request an extension if you want to stay longer than your visa’s initial period of validity. The immigration officer who reviews your application will decide whether to grant the extension and how long it will be valid.
Perform Business Activities
Even though you typically require a work permit to work in Canada, you can conduct some commercial operations while there as long as you don’t immediately enter the labor market. You can, for instance;
- Purchasing products or services from Canadian companies for a foreign company.
- Visit a company website as well.
- Next, attend training for product use, sales, or other commercial endeavors at a Canadian company’s request.
- Additionally, interact with individuals to begin and complete a business deal.
DON’Ts
Apply for a Work Permit
Typically, tourists to Canada are not permitted to apply for a work permit. However, tourists can apply for a work permit while in Canada on a visiting visa if they obtain a legitimate employment offer while there. This temporary provision is in place until the end of February 2025.
People who wanted to work in Canada used to have to apply for their initial work permit before they arrived, but this temporary policy change eliminates that requirement. If they had visitor status when they were granted a work permit, they would have to leave the country to receive their work permit.
This policy eliminates the need to leave Canada.
You Cannot Stay Permanently
Travelers can enter Canada with a visitor visa, which also grants them temporary legal residency there. You only keep that status, though, for the duration of the validity of your visa. On a visitor visa that is no longer valid, you are not permitted to remain in Canada.
Work in Canada
To work in Canada, you must have a valid work permit. You must be careful not to engage in any kind of trade during your visit that would allow you to immediately access Canada’s labor market as a visiting visa does not permit you to work there.
Study in Canada
You cannot study in Canada if you have a guest visa, except for the circumstances mentioned above. To lawfully study in Canada in any other circumstances, you require a study permit.
Apply for a Study Permit
You cannot apply for a study permit from within Canada based on your tourist status. After you return home, you must start the application procedure for a student visa. If a tourist has a family member who has a current study or work permit for Canada, there is an exception to this rule that permits the visitor to apply from within Canada.
Reasons for Canada Visitor Visa Refusals in 2023
In this section, we’ll examine the most frequent causes of visa denial while illuminating how to avoid them and how to improve your chances of getting a visa on your very first try.
Weak Ties to Home Country
A common justification for rejecting a visa application is the applicant’s alleged lack of strong ties to their home country. In essence, you run the danger of rejection if the ties to your nation of origin are tenuous. The guarantee that you’ll return to your native country following your temporary stay in Canada is frequently rejected by visa officers.
Recognizing this explanation for refusal’s context-dependence is necessary to comprehend it. Your ties to your country of origin will be examined if you are from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, or any other country. The key is to show that you have strong ties to your native country, demonstrating your likelihood of returning following your time in Canada.
For instance, the visa officer may question your motivation to return home after your time in Canada if you don’t have a solid employment offer. Similarly to this, the absence of family ties, property ownership, or commercial obligations could hurt your case for going back. Thus, demonstrating your deep ties to your nation of origin through these aspects becomes crucial.
The Dilemma of Strong Family Ties in Canada
On the other hand, having a large family in Canada may result in the denial of a visa. If a sizable percentage of your family lives in Canada, it may raise questions about your plans to move back home. The visa officer might not be persuaded in such circumstances that you’ll depart Canada once your visit is through.
The suggestion is that your ties to your family may be stronger than those to your country of origin.
Travel History
Your travel history affects the outcome of your visa application as well. On the one hand, the visa officer can question your sudden urge to travel abroad if you’ve never left your own country. On the other side, traveling to nations like the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, or the USA in the past may be to your advantage. It strengthens your application for a visa by demonstrating your readiness to go back home following your visits.
Purpose of Visit
It’s crucial to state your visit’s objective clearly. Unmotivated visa applications run the risk of being turned down. Ensure your reason for traveling is clear and backed up by pertinent paperwork. Whether you’re going to a wedding, birthday celebration, business meeting, or any other event, you should be able to prove your intentions with the right invites or event information.
Financial Status
Visa applications must take their financial soundness into account. Refusal may result from omitting required financial documentation. Officers who issue visas want proof that you have enough money to support your trip to Canada. Present your income tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, and any other pertinent financial documentation to demonstrate this.
The key is transparency. Trying to hide your financial situation could have fatal repercussions.
Employment Status
A key component of your application is your job situation. It’s critical to disclose your source of money and the consistency of your employment. Giving information about your employment, such as your tenure and a leave of absence certificate, can help your argument. Self-employed people should present pertinent company records. Farmers can also back up their claims with recognized documentation like the J Form from India.
Duration
Your projected stay in Canada should be appropriate for the reason you are there. It can raise questions if your stated term is less than six months without a good explanation. As a result, modify your intended stay in light of the occasion or goal of your trip.
Demonstrating Authenticity in Your Application
A vital component of the puzzle is post-documentation. If you are being hosted in Canada, your host’s documentation is crucial. A poorly written invitation letter from your host could result in rejection. A carefully written letter outlining their immigration status, financial documentation, and link to you is essential.
Your application might not have the necessary merit without these.
Applicants’ Age and Marital Status
Age, marital status, and ties to the family are all strategic planning variables that can affect the result. Young single people without strong ties to their nation of origin could encounter resistance to their desire to return. It is crucial that you present more proof of your dedication to your home nation.
A Glimpse at Additional Refusal Reasons
These additional elements, in addition to the main grounds for rejection, can result in Visa denial.
- Overstaying in Canada
- Illegal status in your home country
- Health-related issues
- Incorrect form filling
- Human rights violations or misrepresentation
- Withholding or falsifying information
All of the aforementioned elements have the potential to cause refusal. Never forget that knowledge is the key to success.
Keep in mind that rigorous planning and openness are your allies as you progress toward submitting a successful visa application.
Visit Newsnowgh.com for the most up-to-date information on changes to visa criteria, prospective paths to obtaining legal residency, and others.