Canada visa application process can be online or in person at a Canadian Embassy/Consulate. Foreign citizens of countries which are not exempt from getting a Canada visa will need to make a successful Canada Visa application before entering the country.

What is a Canada Visa?

A Canada visa is a stamp on your passport that you need to get before entering Canada. It is a permission for you to enter the country and legally stay either temporarily or permanently.

Getting a successful Canada Visa application​ means that the Canadian Embassy/Consulate in your home country agrees that you are eligible and fulfill the requirements for entry. However, once you are at the Canadian border and customs, it depends on the border officers to evaluate whether you can enter.

On the one hand, if you answer honestly and correctly the questions of the Canadian Border Services Officer (BSO), they will allow you to enter. On the other hand, if they suspect your eligibility to enter, they can deny you and ask you to return to your home country even if you get a Canada visa.

[caption id="attachment_3718" align="alignnone" width="700"][caption id="attachment_3718" align="alignnone" width="700"]

Canada visa is the permission to enter Canada.[/caption]

Who needs to get a Canadian Visa?

Citizens from 148 countries that do not have a visa exemption or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) agreement with Canada need a visa to enter Canada to visit, work, or immigrate.

If you are one of the mentioned applicants, you need to apply for a visa to Canada. You will have a specific method of Canada Visa application​ depending on your planned type of visa, but there are a few common steps you must take.

What are the types of Canada Visa?

Before making a Canada Visa application, you must first decide which visa you want to apply for. Here are some types of Canada visas:

• Visitor visa

• Student visa

• Work visa

• Permanent Residence visa

• Business Immigrant visa

• Express Entry Program visa

Temporary Canada Visas

The temporary Canada visas allow people to stay in Canada for a specific period of time. This time is usually up to 6 months and is determined by the Canadian Consulate or the Border Services Officers (BSO). Otherwise, the temporary visa can be a single-entry or multiple-entry visa.

People can only enter Canada once, stay for 6 months and then return to their home country with a single entry visa. In comparison, a multiple-entry visa allows people to enter Canada multiple times until their visa expires and stay temporarily.

Here are some types of Canadian Temporary Visas:

• Canada Tourist Visa (also known as the Canada Visitor Visa) allows the holder to enter Canada for the purposes of tourism.

• Canada Super Visa allows parents or grandparents of Canadian Permanent Residents or Canadian citizens to visit their beloved one for an extended stay.

• Diplomatic and Official Visa allows foreign officials and diplomats to enter Canada for official duties and purposes.

• Courtesy Visa is suitable for those who do not qualify for a Diplomatic and Official Visa but are considered to be in important ranks and positions, including members of trade missions or diplomats with tourist intent.

• Canada Business Visa is suitable for individuals or groups of business people traveling to Canada for business purposes.

• The Visa to Give Birth in Canada is suitable for people who fulfill all the criteria to stay temporarily and women who are pregnant and want to give birth in Canada. A baby born in Canada is automatically a Canadian citizen.

• Intending Organ Donors Visa is suitable for people traveling to Canada to donate an organ to a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident.

• Canada Facilitation Visa is given to Canadian citizens of two nationalities who do not have a Canadian passport but have a passport of the other. Because of the extreme hardships of getting a Canadian passport, this visa is stamped on the person’s other nationality visa.

• Canada Student Visa suits those admitted to a Canadian university to complete their studies. If your study is less than 6 months, you can only get a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) visa, but for more than 6-month studies, you need to get a Student Visa.

• Canada Temporary Work Visa is suitable for those who have a job offer in Canada and will work for up to 6 months. You must present an employer's valid job offer letter and qualify for a temporary visa to get it.

• Temporary Residence Permit is suitable for people who need to go to Canada for different purposes but are not admissible for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). This permit is issued based on the length of time that the applicant needs to be in Canada (for example, 2 weeks for a workshop).

• Working Holiday Visa allows young people from 30 countries to work in Canada and travel. It is known as a random selection visa because of the fact that applicants will submit their applications and wait to be randomly selected to apply for a work permit.

[caption id="attachment_3720" align="alignnone" width="700"][caption id="attachment_3720" align="aligncenter" width="700"]

Decide the type of visa before making your Canada visa application.[/caption]

Permanent Canada Visas

Permanent Canada visas allow holders to settle in the country permanently. These are also known as immigrant visas and can be classified into different types as follows:

• The Immigrant Investor Program is for people with a net worth of at least CAD$800,000 who must invest a minimum of CAD$400,000 in the Canadian economy. They will receive back this investment in 5 years without any interest from the Government.

• The Startup Visa Program is for individuals who will be involved in contributing to Canada's economy. To be eligible for this visa, you must have a net worth of at least CAD$300,000. Besides, committing to owning and managing at least one-third of a Canadian business, creating and maintaining employment within 3 years of being in Canada are considered as eligible conditions.

• The Self-employed Persons Visa is for individuals with business, athletics, culture, or farming skills who can start their own businesses. To be eligible for this visa, they must demonstrate how they will apply their skills in financing their business.

• Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) is for individuals who want to move and work permanently there. To be eligible, you must have one of the occupations required in the Canadian province of Quebec and be fluent in French. 

• Family-Sponsorship Program is for the spouses and dependent children of Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents. This visa allows them to immigrate to Canada permanently.

• Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) is for caregivers who are qualified to care for the elderly, disabled people, or children and live in a private home in Canada.

Express Entry Visas

The Canada Express Entry Program is known as an electronic immigration program. It was designed by the Government of Canada to allow individuals from all over the world to apply for immigration to Canada based on their specific personal skills.

This program contains the following components:

• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) visa

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) visa

• Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP) visa

• Canadian Experience Class visa

Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)

The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) visa is given to qualified tradespeople in occupations such as:

• Carpenters

• Crane Operators

• Heavy-duty Equipment Mechanics

• Electricians

• Aircraft Mechanics

• Welders

• Machinists

• Ironworkers

• Plumbers, etc.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)

A Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) visa is given to people who have required professions in Canada. Before obtaining the necessary points, you must check what kind of occupations Canada needs at the point you are planning to apply.

Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP)

The Provincial Nominee Program visa is suitable for semi or low-skilled workers who can work to contribute to the Canadian economy. The workers will be placed in different provinces of Canada, which are in higher demand for work.

Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class permanent visa is for individuals with a temporary student or worker visa. Besides, they want to switch to permanent resident status. They have settled into Canadian society, and either have a Canadian education or work experience.

Canada Visa Application

The Canada visa application process will differ depending on on the type of visa you need to apply for.

These simple steps are for a Canada Visa Application:

1. Check your eligibility.

2. Create an online account.

3. Upload the necessary document files.

4. Pay the application fees.

5. Wait for Canadian visa processing.

6. Submit your passport and pay processing fees.

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You can make a Canada visa application online or in person.[/caption]

Step 1: Check your eligibility for Canada visa application

1. Go to https://www.canada.ca/en.html website.

2. Navigate to the “Immigration tab.”

3. Select the “My application” option.

4. There will be tabs for “Visit”, “Immigrate”, “Work”, “Study”, and others for you to select corresponding to the visa you want to apply for.

5. Click on the link saying “Find out if you can apply” or “Find out if you are eligible.”

You will be taken to the questionnaire. It will range from your personal information to the reasons why you want to visit Canada and your previous travel history. You can see the results at the end of the questionnaire.

If you are eligible for either the visa you have selected or a different type of visa that the system matches you with, it will ask you to fill out your email address. Via this email, they will send you a set of documents.

The documents contain a visa description, instructions, and details about how to apply. Additionally, they will send you a reference code, one of the essential pieces of information, because you need it to start your visa application.

The reference code contains the information you gave during your questionnaire, including the type of visa you are applying for. Therefore, you will have to start the questionnaire process again if you lose it.

Step 2: Create an online account

The instructions sent to you by email will show you whether you must apply for a Canada visa online or in person. To make Canada visa application online, you must create an account.

There are two ways to create an application account:

• Because the Canadian Government has partnered with many banks, you can use your online banking login to create an account,

• Create a Canada visa application login account by creating a Government of Canada login (GCKey).

[caption id="attachment_3722" align="alignnone" width="700"]

This is an online Canada visa application form.[/caption]

Step 3: Upload the necessary document files

Once you login to your account, you can use your reference code to start your application. Then, the system will show you a list of documents for and your Canada visa application status. 

Step 4: Pay the application fees

Once the system verifies that you have submitted all the documents required in the Canada visa application form, it will show you the payment page. You will have to pay the Canada visa fees, which depend on the type of visa you are applying for. As soon as that is completed, your application is submitted.

It will take you around 5 workdays to see the application on your account. If you apply in person, you will just need to take the required documents to the Canadian Embassy in your home country.

Step 5: Wait for Canadian visa processing

You must wait for the Canadian Embassy to process your Canada visa application for two or more weeks. The processing time depends on the type of visa. Additionally, they might ask for more documents or your biometrics and have an interview.

Step 6: Submit your passport and pay processing fees

If you are informed that your Canada visa application was successful, you need to submit your passport to the Canadian embassy or consulate. You can send it along with the processing fees, which will range from $20 to $50, depending on your visa application type.

After a Successful Canadian Visa Application

After getting the Canada visa, you can travel to Canada. You will be asked to present your passport and other documents upon entry. The officials will check them and ask questions about why you want to enter Canada. After receiving the answer, they will decide whether to let you inside the country.

The above information is all you need to know when you intend to apply for a Canada visa and visit this beautiful country. You can understand the definition, some types, and the detailed Canada visa application process guide. Hope that you find it clear to follow and helpful in solving your problems effectively. For more information and convenience, please get in touch with us at +1 315 715 8498 or [email protected].