Temporary Resident

1. What is a temporary resident?

A temporary resident is a foreign national who is legally authorized to enter Canada for temporary purposes.

A foreign national has temporary resident status when they have been found to meet the requirements of the legislation to enter and/or remain in Canada as a visitor, student, worker or temporary resident permit holder. Only foreign nationals physically in Canada hold temporary resident status.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada processes these applications under several categories:

2. What are the requirements for visitors?

VISITOR VISA REQUIREMENTS

Valid travel document (passport)
Good health (may require medical exam)
Enough money to cover the stay in Canada
Ties in home country (job, family, property, assets)
Intent to leave Canada at the end of visit

VISITOR VISA EXEMPTIONS

Passport-holders of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, lceland, lreland, lsrael, ltaly, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Romania (e-passport holders), Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon lslands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, The Vatican;
Citizens of Brazil who have held a Canadian temporary visa in the past 10 years, or currently hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa
Persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence
British citizens and British Overseas Citizens who are re-admissible to the United Kingdom;
Citizens of the British dependent territories of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin lslands, Cayman lslands, Falkland lslands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn lsland, Saint Helena or the Turks and Caicos lslands

ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (eTA)

An eTA is a requirement for all visa-exempt foreign nationals who wish to fly to or transit through Canada. Exceptions: US citizens / holders of a valid Canadian visa i holders of a valid Canadian status re-entering Canada after visiting US or St. Pierre and Miquelon / French citizens living and flying directly from St. Pierre and Miquelon.

3. What are the requirements for temporary workers?

LMIA (if applicable).

Temporary resident visa / eTA (if applicable).

Job offer / contract.

Proof of financial support.

Police certificate and medical examination might be required

LMIA Exemptions

Workers under international agreements
Spouses of NOC 0, A, B foreign workers with work permit of 6+ months
Workers, their spouses and dependents eligible for work permit under a pilot project
Workers nominated by a province for PR with job offer
Entrepreneurs and workers transferred within a company
Academics (researchers, guest lecturers, visiting professors, etc.)
Co-op students, religious workers, refugee claimants
People in exchange programs, including IEC
Spouses of full time (non ESL/FSL/General courses) foreign students (spouse is enrolled in full time studies)

Work Permit Exemptions

Academic examiners and evaluators
Athletes and coaches competing in Canada
Aviation accident or incident investigators
Civil aviation inspectors
Clergy
Convention organizers (not hands on)
Crew members
Emergency service providers
Expert witnesses or investigators
Family members of foreign representatives (DFATD approved)
Foreign government officers (formal letter required for 3+months)
Health care students (-4 months internship + written approval)
Judges, referees and similar officials for international amateur competitions
Military personnel
Business visitors
News reporters, film and media crews for foreign news company
Public speakers (up to 5 days)
Students working on/off campus
Performing artists and key support staff (limited time and not making a movie, television or radio broadcast)

Examples: street performers, disc jockeys, traveling circus, guest artists working within a Canadian group, wrestlers, people who will perform at a private event (wedding), air show performers, rodeo contestants, artists attending/working a showcase, film producers (business visitors), film/recording studio users (limited to small groups renting studios, business visitors) and people doing guest spots on Canadian television and radio broadcasts (news programs)

Work Permit will not be issued if:

The applicant intends to work in Quebec but doesn’t hold CAQ.
The intended work would affect any labour dispute in progress or the job of any person involved in the dispute.
The foreign national is engaged in unauthorized work or study, or failed to comply with a condition within last 6 months. Exception: 6 months have lapsed since infraction; unauthorized work was due to unauthorized time of stay; type/location of work or study.
The foreign national intends to work in erotic services.
The employer is ineligible to hire foreign nationals.
The foreign national no longer meets the requirements.
The applicant is the spouse of a NOC C, D temporary worker.

Global Skills Strategy

Allows applicants to obtain work permit within 2 weeks if the employer has a positive LMIA through the Global Talent Stream of the TFWP AND the candidate is applying for an employer-specific work permit;
OR if the applicant is LM|A-exempt in a NOC O/A profession AND the work permit will be employer-specific, AND the employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal + paid compliance fee.

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