A Business Visitor Visa Canada is required to attend a meeting, trade show or conference in the country. If you plan to engage in business travel to Canada, it is essential to familiarize yourself with the details of a Business Visa for Canada. Gain an understanding of the scope of activities permitted, as well as the necessary preparations and documentation required for your entry into the country.
You must apply for a Business Visitor Visa Canada to travel to the country on business. This visa is designed for people who want to travel to the country temporarily for company-related reasons, such as to explore opportunities to start or expand their company there, invest in a company, strengthen company ties, offer or receive training or engage in international enterprise activities without joining the Canadian labour force.
Distinctions exist between business travelers and business people. Under a free trade agreement, business people travel to Canada for work-related engagements. Meanwhile, individuals classified as travelers, visiting the country for trade purposes, have the flexibility to stay briefly for a few days or weeks, with the possibility of extending their stay for up to six months.
This Canserves blog provides all the detailed information you need to make your meeting and travel experience as easy and stress-free as possible when traveling as a Business Visitor Visa Canada.
Temporary residents Refusals overview:
If an applicant is found to be ineligible, the visa application will be refused, and the Canada visa refusal will be made at one of the following times:
- After examination of a written application, without the candidate having an in-person interview,
- Following an interview with the TRV applicant
If it is evident from a review of the application that the applicant is ineligible and more information would not affect a denial decision, the applicant should never be asked to attend an interview.
What is Business Visitor Visa Canada?
A Business Visitor enters Canada to conduct international enterprise activities. They do not work in Canada, but they may investigate business opportunities or investment prospects in one of the world’s most open and stable economies.
As an example, consider someone who travels to the country:
- To meet company representatives from their nations,
- To take in site visits.
- As a result of an invitation from a Canadian firm to attend training in product use, sales, and other aspects of trade activities.
They can enter the country without a work permit. Business travellers must show that their primary place of commerce and source of income is outside the country.
If you are employed by a Canadian company, it is advisable to seek a work permit rather than being classified under a business visa. This applies particularly to situations where you are a worker engaged by a foreign enterprise to enter into a contract with a Canadian company.
Business travelers and business people are distinct categories. Due to a free trade agreement, business people travel to the country for work-related purposes. Travelers coming to the country for business usually stay for a few days or weeks but have the option to extend their stay for up to six months.
What distinguishes Business Visa & IMP Work Permit?
A Canadian IMP work permit (C11 Work Permit or ICT Work Permit) differs from a Canada Business Visitor Visa Canada. Business travelers are not allowed to work in the country under this visa. It is specifically tailored for short-term stays associated with enterprise purposes such as industry conferences, site visits, or training. In the event of your company transferring you to Canada or being employed by a Canadian enterprise in other situations, obtaining a work permit becomes a necessity.
You are invited to visit Canada for job opportunities. If you are in the country on a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and secure a job offer, it is recommended to apply for a work permit before commencing work. Possessing a work permit allows you to legally work in the country. During the processing of your application, you might be required to leave the country, as the Canadian office handling your case is typically based in the nation of your residence or citizenship. However, you can remain in the country if your TRV is still valid.
What distinguishes Business Visitor & Regular Visitor?
The distinction between a business visitor and a regular visitor, commonly known as a Canada Tourist Visa, lies in the purpose of their visit. Foreign nationals apply for a Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to visit their relatives, requiring an invitation letter from family members such as parents, sisters, brothers, or children. Alternatively,
Individuals seek a tourist visa to explore Canada’s attractions and historical sites, often necessitating a robust travel history, particularly to countries that mandate a visa. Accessing a TRV for these countries, such as European nations, England, America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, is typically challenging.
Conversely, the business visa is tailored for foreign nationals who, for trade-related purposes, wish to engage temporarily in activities such as assessing opportunities to initiate or broaden commerce, making investments, enhancing trade connections, providing or receiving training, or participating in business-related endeavors. It allows travel to Canada for trade without the intention of entering the Canadian labor market for employment.
What are benefits of Business Visa Canada?
With a Business visitor visa Canada, You have the option to visit Canada to spend time with family and friends while simultaneously participating in your enterprise trade activities. This period also provides an opportunity to explore options for extending your stay in the country.
Business Visa Immigration Options To Canada
1- The C11 work permit
The C11 work permit is an opportunity to consider if you’re an entrepreneur or self-employed person who wants to work in Canada and eventually become a permanent resident..
2- ICT work permit (C12)
ICT work permit (C12) is designed to make it easier for employees to move from a foreign-based company to its affiliated Canadian enterprise in any country.
3- Start-Up Visas (SUV)
Canada Startup Visa for entrepreneurs who have the potential to create innovative companies (New or/and innovative business concepts) that can compete on a global scale and create jobs to promote and attract innovative technologies and create more entrepreneurial opportunities.
4-PNP business immigration pathway
PNP business immigration attracts ambitious and innovative company owners from all over the world who wish to invest in and actively operate a company in one of Canada’s provinces, together with suitably skilled workers.
5-Canada Self Employment Visa
Canada Self Employment Visa this is for a self-employed person with experience working for themselves in fields relating to art, sports, and culture to make an application for Canadian PR.
6-Quebec Immigrant Investors Program
Quebec Immigrant Investors Program (QIIP): this is for individuals with a particular net worth and enough capital to invest in the Quebec economy.
Who is considered a Business Visitor in Canada?
- You intend to stay for less than six months;
- You don’t plan to work in the Country;
- Your primary place of business and source of income and profits are located outside of Canada;
- You have documents to support your application;
- You satisfy entry requirements and possess a valid travel document, such as a passport;
- You have enough money for your stay and to return home;
- You intend to depart the country.
You may be considered a temporary worker and must apply for a work permit if you want to stay longer than six months or intend to work in the country.
Business In Canada That Qualifies To Do
- Buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign company or government.
- Taking orders for goods or services.
- Attending conferences, meetings, or trade shows.
- Providing after-sales service under a warranty or sales agreement.
- Receiving training from a Canadian parent company that you work for outside of Canada.
- Instructing staff members of a foreign company’s Canadian branch; and
- Receiving training from a Canadian company that has sold you equipment or services.
A U.S. or Mexican national may also engage in additional activities covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, such as marketing, general services, and research.
How to apply for a business visitor visa?
A Business visitor visa Canada for business travellers does not require to provide a particular TRV application.Business travelers coming to Canada are required to undergo the standard application process for a Canada Tourist Visa, stating that their purpose is trade-related. They might need to provide documentation of their business activities to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at their port of entry.
Certain Canadian trade individuals may be exempt from this requirement if they are citizens of nations that do not require visas. In specific circumstances, even if the person enters the country by air, they might still need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Families accompanying them are allowed, but each family member must individually apply for a traveler visa.
You can begin applying for a business visa Canada if you meet the abovementioned prerequisites. The following steps are the steps you need to take for the TRV application:
- Make sure you’re eligible for a visa to Canada,
- Compile the supporting documents and application forms,
- Submit your TRV application and pay the application fee,
- Wait for IRCC processing and approval,
- Get ready for your arrival day.
Application Fees
If you need to provide biometrics for a Business visitor visa Canada application, there is an extra price of CAD$85 in addition to the $100 application fee for the Canadian Visa.
Eligibility Requirements For Business Visitor Visa
To embark on a trade trip, you need a valid passport from your country of nationality and other documents, such as proof of valid status in the United States (like a green card). Additionally, a Business Visitor Visa for Canada (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is necessary. To obtain a TRV for a trade trip, you must fulfill a few minimal conditions, and the most important ones are listed below:
- Hold a passport with a minimum 6-month validity period.
- Have no convictions for crimes or immigration-related offences.
- Convince the IRCC officer that you have trade, social, family, employment, and property ties to your home country.
- Convince the IRCC officer that you’ll leave the country before your authorized stay finishes.
- Have sufficient available funds for your stay. Your financial needs will vary depending on the reason for your trip, how long you intend to stay, whether you’ll be staying with friends or family or in a hotel, and other factors.
If you can’t prove you are eligible for a Business Visitor Visa, the IRCC officer will refuse your application.
There are eligibility standards that the prospective applicant must meet to qualify as a Business traveler. The officer from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) aims to ensure that you do not have intentions to engage in illegal work in the country. Hence, the Business Visitor Visa Canada requirements are stricter than those for a visitor visa. It would help if you additionally met the following criteria in addition to those that apply to all Temporary Resident TRVs for eligibility:
- You must be very specific about the reason for your trip and demonstrate that you won’t be working while you’re in the country.
- You must prove that you are establishing business ties with a Canadian company or have received an invitation to a meeting, training session, conference, or workshop.
- Convincing the IRCC officer to issue you a TRV can be more straightforward if you meet these requirements. Otherwise, IRCC might refuse your visa application.
What documents needed to bring?
Upon reaching the Canadian border, it is crucial to have the required documentation. If an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is necessary, you must travel with the same passport used for the application. For lawful permanent residents of the United States, a valid green card (or equivalent official proof of status in the U.S.) and a valid passport from your country of nationality (or an equivalent document) are required, along with a valid Business Visitor Visa (TRV) if applicable.
Additional documents, such as service agreements or contracts pertinent to your business visit, 24-hour contact information for your Canadian firm host, letters from your company, an invitation from the Canadian host company, or a Letter of Recognition from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), are required. Additionally, you must provide evidence of sufficient funds for your stay in the country and your return flight home.
Letter of Invitation Requirements
An invitation letter is mandatory when a Canadian company hosts business travelers from foreign enterprises. Business travelers may encompass clients, customers, investors, attendees of trade shows or conferences, partners, staff members, or those visiting the company’s facilities for training.
Visa officers assess applicants to determine their suitability for travel to Canada. It’s essential to note that a letter of invitation only increases the likelihood of obtaining a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if required.
For businesses, it’s customary that a company representative drafts the invitation letter if a Canadian company invites a visitor. Each visitor should be provided with two original invitation letters from your organization—one to present upon entering Canada and the other to submit with their visa application.
Be careful to allow sufficient time to process your Business Visitor Visa Canada. To determine how long it might take to process a visa, Check the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) application processing times for your Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) application and your country of residency. It’s important to note that you might need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) even if you do not require a TRV.
Information needed in letter of invitation
About the person being invited
- Full name.
- Date of birth,
- The company represented position.
- Address and phone number (both work and home);
- Your company’s relationship with the invitee and your company history together, whether you know the traveller personally and if you are related.
- Purpose of the trip (if part of a longer-term project, please provide context); duration of the person’s visit to your company in Canada; and
- Your company will pay the lodging and living expenses for the person’s intended departure date from Canada.
About the person extending the invitation
- Full name,
- Position in the organization, including job title,
- Location and contact information in Canada, and
- Work email address.
About the company extending the invitation
The following information should be provided:
- The full name of the company,
- The address of the headquarters,
- The addresses of all facilities to be visited,
- The company’s website address, if one is available,
- The date the company was registered or incorporated, and
- A brief description of the type of activity the firm conducts.
Responsibilities of the company extending the invitation
Before entering into any formal partnership, it is advisable to thoroughly research a potential partner’s company history, assets and liabilities, reputation, and current legal standing. This diligence is crucial to safeguard the reputation and interests of your company. Additionally, it will help you assess whether specific aspects of your prospective partner’s background might pose issues when bringing them to Canada for business. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recommends that you:
- Investigate your trade partner thoroughly.
- Communicate with the Canadian Trade Commissioner in charge of the industry and nation where your traveller is from.
- Give two copies of an invitation letter to your prospective business partner who will be visiting.
- Give a representative from your company’s 24-hour contact information to your visitor partner. When entering the country, the border services officer may ask your visiting partner to submit the information, or they may need to call you if there are any delays.
What a Business Visitor needs to enter Canada?
A border services officer may find it necessary to request additional information based on the statements and documentation provided by business people at the crossing. In such cases, the business traveler may be directed to undergo a secondary screening, where an officer from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will further question them. It is strongly recommended that your company partner be prepared and have all the required paperwork readily available to submit to the border services officer.
A CBSA officer at the port of entry may discover that the visitor requires a work permit even if an eTA visitor or Business Visitor Visa Canada is provided. This situation may arise if the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer determines that the traveler’s circumstances have changed since the issuance of the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or visitor visa or if new information comes to light during the interview.
Your invitation letter plays a crucial role in preventing such situations by clearly outlining the purpose of the visit. Additionally, if your trade partner provides the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer with Canadian contact numbers available around the clock, these contacts can address any queries the officer may have regarding the visit. It’s important to ensure that the designated contact person is well-prepared to respond to inquiries.
Furthermore, your visitor should carry a copy of the contract or invoice specifying that the work is covered. This is particularly relevant, for example, if they are arriving to service a specific piece of equipment as outlined in the contract.