Most visitors can stay for up to 6 months in Canada.

If you’re allowed to enter Canada, the border services officer may allow you to stay for less or more than 6 months.

• If so, they’ll put the date you need to leave by in your passport. They might also give you a document.
• If you don’t get a stamp on your passport, you can stay for 6 months from the day you entered Canada or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
• If you need a stamp, you can ask a border services officer for one. If you arrive at an airport that uses primary inspection kiosks, ask the border services officer after you finish at the kiosk.

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.

You must present the following documents:

• A copy of the child’s birth certificate
• A letter of authorization signed by the parent who is not travelling, containing their address and telephone number, in English or French if possible, and
• A photocopy of the non-accompanying parent’s signed passport or national identity card

If the parents are separated or divorced, and share custody of the child, the parent travelling with the child should carry copies of the legal custody documents.

If the parents are separated or divorced and one of them has sole custody of the child, the letter of authorization may be signed by that parent only and they should bring a copy of the custody papers.

If one of the child’s parents is deceased, the travelling parent should bring a copy of the death certificate.

The main difference between these two visa types is that a single entry visa allows entry to Canada for one-time only and a multiple entry visa allows entry many times.

Which type of visa to get?

You don’t need to choose. A multiple entry visa is what all visa applicants are automatically considered for. We will review your application and issue you a visa depending on your situation.

Multiple entry visa

While valid, a multiple entry visa will let you travel to Canada for six months at a time as many times as you want. It will be valid for up to 10 years or one month before your passport expires, whichever is shorter. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.

Single entry visa

A single entry visa lets you travel to Canada only one time. For instance, you may only be eligible for a single entry visa if:

• you are eligible for a fee-exemption and the purpose of your entry to Canada is limited (such as, for an official visit by a foreign national)
• you are taking part in a one-time special event in Canada
• there are approved country-specific procedures or guidelines in place.

In most cases, once you have left Canada, you will need a new visa to enter Canada again.

Anyone who plans to visit Canada must apply from outside of Canada before they travel.

What your friend or family member needs depends on:

• the type of travel document they will travel with;
• the country that issued their travel document;
• their nationality; and
• how they will travel to Canada.

Before applying, find out what document(s) they need.

If they need a visitor visa, you may provide your family member or friend with a letter of invitation in support of their visa application. A letter of invitation can help, but it does not guarantee the person will get a visa.

You should apply for your work permit before you travel to Canada. You can only apply at a port of entry if you’re eligible.

You may need a medical exam to get a work permit if any of these situations apply to you:

1. You wish to work in any job where it is important to protect public health, such as
   • health services
   • child care or
   • primary or secondary education
2. You’ll work in an agricultural job, and you have lived in a designated country or territory.
3. You want to work in Canada for more than 6 months, and you lived in a designated country or territory for 6 consecutive months during the year right before the date you intend to enter Canada.

If you need a medical exam, an officer will tell you so and send you instructions on how to proceed. The officer’s decision is based on the type of job you will have and where you lived in the past year.

You can show one of a number of different documents to show that you meet the language requirement, including:

• the results of an IRCC-approved third-party test
• proof from certain government-funded language training programs

proof of completion of secondary or post-secondary education in English or French, in Canada or abroad

You can apply for Canadian citizenship again. This new application must include all the required forms and documents, including a new application fee. There is no waiting period before you can reapply. However, you should ensure you meet Canadian citizenship requirements before you reapply.

If your citizenship application is refused, you may also seek judicial review of the decision by the Federal Court of Canada. This is not an appeal of the decision. You have thirty (30) days from the date on the refusal letter to apply.

Unlike some foreign countries, you do not need a job offer to immigrate to Canada. There are programs available for you that allow you to apply for permanent residency in Canada without securing employment beforehand.

You can apply for permanent residence if you are considered a Skilled Worker. If you possess the necessary expertise in any of the many fields associated with the Canadian labor market, you may be able to apply as a Federal Skilled Worker.

If you want to immigrate to Canada through the Express Entry system, your chances of being selected are based on how well you score in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS). You are awarded points under CRS based on a number of factors including education, proficiency in English and/or French language, age, and work experience. Other factors that can significantly increase your score include Canadian degrees, diplomas, certificates, a valid job offer, and a nomination from a Canadian province or territory.

In order to create an Express Entry profile, you’ll first need to create an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) account then submit your profile to formally enter the Express Entry pool of candidates. To create your profile, you’ll need:

• National Occupational Classification (NOC) number: This is the system the Canadian government uses to classify various jobs and occupations.
• Education credential assessment (ECA): This report verifies that your foreign degree, diploma, certificate, or other credentials are valid and equal to a Canadian one.

Approved language test: Test results can be for either English or French. This test evaluates your language skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing.

The key difference is that the super visa allows stays lasting up to 5 years per entry to Canada. Those travelling on a 10-year multiple-entry visa can only stay for up to six months per entry.

When you apply for a parent and grandparent super visa, include the following people when calculating family size:

• the child or grandchild inviting you;
• the spouse of the child or grandchild inviting you;
• the dependants of the child or grandchild inviting you;
• any dependants travelling with you;
• any other person whom the child or grandchild inviting you is currently sponsoring or co-signing for; and
• yourself.

Here are some examples.

• The child or grandchild in Canada that is inviting you is not married and has no children. They have invited one parent to visit Canada for a two-year stay. The family size is two.
• The family in Canada inviting you is a family of four (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and two dependent children). They plan to host two visiting parents. The family size is six.
• The family in Canada inviting you is a family of three (child or grandchild who is inviting you, the spouse and one dependent child). The child or grandchild inviting you previously co-signed the sponsorship of the spouse’s parents (two persons). That sponsorship is still in effect. Now, they are inviting you and your spouse for a long-term visit on a parent and grandparent super visa. The family size is seven.

The family in Canada inviting you is a family of three (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and one dependent child). They plan to host you and your dependent child. The family size is five.

If you want to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor (stay in Canada longer), you need to apply for a visitor record. You should apply at least 30 days before your status expires.

A visitor record is not a visa.

A visitor record

• is a document that gives you status as a visitor in Canada and allows you to stay longer
• includes a new expiry date
  • that’s the new date that you must leave Canada by