Immigration Law Lawyers
Marvin Geekie
Associate Counsel
Wendy Cheung, Q. Med, C. Arb.
Associate
Jens Deppe
Associate
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A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) is for people who want to come to Canada temporarily for tourism, to visit family, to work, to study or are traveling through Canada to another destination. A citizen of a TRV required country must have a valid TRV before travelling to Canada. Some countries are TRV exempt and may require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if travelling by air.
Canada considers a number of factors when deciding if a TRV can be granted, including but not limited to:
Once your TRV is granted, a visa foil is affixed to your passport for travel to Canada. Types of TRV’s include, single entry, multiple entry and super visa (for parents and grandparents).
It is important to note that even if your TRV is valid for a longer time, you are only allowed to stay in Canada for a maximum of 6 months from the day you entered. The CBSA border officer can decide on how long you can stay in Canada for your trip. The length of stay is indicated on your passport stamp, Visitor Record, Work Permit or Study Permit.
A Canadian work permit allows foreign nationals to work legally in Canada for a specific period of time. Work permits may be employer specific, tied to a particular Canadian employer in a specific position. Or, a work permit can be open, allowing a foreign national to work for any Canadian employer and/or in any position. Depending on the type, some require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), while others are LMIA exempt under the International Mobility Program (IMP).
Work Permits are often a stepping stone to permanent residency, providing valuable Canadian work experience. Understanding how your skills and choice of employment are crucial to your success in building a career in Canada and achieving your Canadian immigration goals.
An International Mobilty Program (IMP) Work Permit is a type of Canadian work permit issued without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Under the IMP, the LMIA requirement is waived when a job provides broad economic, cultural or competitive advantages for Canada or reciprocal benefits under a trade agreement with another country. This type of work permit requires a job offer from a Canadian employer and must fall within the IMP policies for both the employer and worker requirements. Examples of IMP work permits are:
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is an application by a Canadian employer to the Federal government to ask for permission to hire temporary foreign workers. The company has to show that there is no suitable Canadian to fill the position. The employer must advertise the position according to the LMIA requirements and do labour market research to show how filling the position will benefit the Canadian company and economy. The job offer to the foreign worker must be full time and non seasonal and meet certain other requirements set out by the LMIA.
Once the application is approved, the temporary foreign worker can apply to IRCC for a closed work permit to work for the Canadian company.
If you are already in Canada with a valid TRV, and wish to stay beyond the time allowed, you can apply for an extension from inside Canada.
If you apply before your status expires, you can remain in Canada under “maintained status” until a decision is made.
Canadian Economic Immigration Assessment
Complete our confidential assessment to find out if you qualify under Canada’s economic immigration system.
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