Visitors to Canada

Visitors come to Canada for a temporary stay. They include tourists, people visiting family in Canada, business travelers, students, and temporary workers.

What’s Involved

Most visitors need a valid passport, and many require visitor's visas.

Different requirements exist for citizens or permanent residents of the United States, St. Pierre and Miquelon and Greenland.

Visitors to Canada must satisfy an immigration officer that:

they intend to return to their home country and will not try to stay in Canada;
they are in good health (some visitors may be asked to undergo a medical examination at their own expense);
they do not have a criminal record or are a security risk;
they have sufficient funds to cover travel costs and support themselves in Canada;

Visa officials may ask applicants to provide further documentation or to come for an interview. If you do not meet these criteria, you may be denied admission to Canada.

Usually visitors may stay for six months. It is possible to apply for a visitor visa extension, once in Canada. Usually, visitors are not allowed to work or study while in Canada without authorization.

Visitors to Canada are not eligible for provincial health coverage and are advised to obtain medical insurance for the period of their stay.

Temporary foreign workers and international students are admitted for varying periods of time, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

Single Entry Visitor Visas allow entry to Canada only once. However, holders of Single Entry Visitor Visas are permitted to leave and re-enter Canada prior to the expiry of Visitor status if the travel is to the USA or St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Multiple Entry Visitor Visas allow entry to Canada from any country on repeated occasions. These entries may occur at any time prior to the expiry of Visitor status.

Transit Visitor Visas allow entry into Canada for a period of no more than 48 hours, and apply to foreign individuals whose bus or flight stops in Canada on route to another country.