How to apply for Canadian Business Visa?

If you wish to visit Canada for business purposes, you shall apply for a business visa. The business visa for Canada is intended to those who want to visit Canada temporarily for business related-reasons, such as, to look for ways to establish or grow your business in Canada, invest in a business, advance business relationships, provide or receive training or take part in international business activities without being part of the Canadian labour market.

Types of activities

Activities you may conduct as a business visitor may include:

● buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business or government

● taking orders for goods or services

● going to meetings, conferences, conventions or trade fairs

● giving after-sales service as part of a warranty or sales agreement

● being trained by a Canadian parent company that you work for outside Canada

● training employees of a Canadian branch of a foreign company

● being trained by a Canadian company that has sold you equipment or services

The Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa is a temporary visa, which means that the person who holds it can only stay in Canada for a short period of time, usually up to 6 months. Additionally, the person with this visa is not allowed to work for any company in Canada. They are only allowed to have business meetings, provide or receive training and sign any potential agreements.

Business Visa Eligibility

You must meet some basic requirements to get a visitor visa for business purposes. The most relevant requirements are listed below:

● have a passport that is valid for 6 months or more.

● have no criminal or immigration-related convictions.

● convince an immigration officer that you have ties to your home country.

● convince an immigration officer that you will leave at the end of your visit in Canada.

● have enough money for your stay:

○ The amount of money you will need depends on the purpose of your visit and how long you plan to stay; also, if you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives.

If you cannot prove that you are eligible for the Canadian business visa, then they will reject your application.

You can also be refused a visa for security or health related reasons.

In order to qualify for a Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa, there are certain conditions requirements that the potential applicant must fulfill. The eligibility criteria for the Canadian Business Visa are more extensive than the ones for visiting since the government and Embassy want to make sure that you will not try to work in Canada illegally.

In addition to the eligibility conditions that apply for all of the Temporary Resident Visas, the conditions that you must also fulfill are as follows:

● You must clearly explain the purpose of your visit and make sure you won’t work in Canada for the duration of your stay;

● You must have proof that you are developing a business relationship with a company in Canada or that you have been invited for a meeting, training, conference, or workshop.

If you do not fulfill these conditions, then it may be more difficult to convince the Canadian Embassy or Consulate to grant you the Business visa, or they might reject your application.

Our team of experts can assist you with reviewing your eligibility and assisting you with the application. Book a consultation to find out more!

How to apply for Business Visa

If you meet the eligibility criteria explained above, then you can start your application process to get a Canada Business Visa. There are several steps you must go through, as follows:

1. Confirm your eligibility for a Business visa for Canada.

2. Compile the supporting documents and application forms.

3. Submit your Business visa application.

4. Wait for processing and respond to additional requests for information.

5. Send your passport for stamping.

Once you submit all the documents, you can proceed with your application and pay the visa application fees.

What are the Business Visa fees?

The cost to apply for the Canadian Business Visa is CAD$100 with an additional fee of CAD$85 if you are asked to give your biometric information.

If your visa is approved, then you will have to pay for the passport processing, which costs around CAD$45.

Our Visa Specialists can assist you with submitting a complete application to IRCC. Our staff is trained to guide you gathering all supporting documents as required by the Canadian government, so that to increase your chances of success. Contact us today!

FAQ - Business Visa

How to show you’re a business visitor?

To qualify as a business visitor to Canada, you must explain your purpose of visit, demonstrate your business relationship with the Canadian entity and show that you don’t plan to enter the Canadian labour market.

If you plan to stay for more than 6 months, or plan to work in Canada, you may be considered a temporary worker permit.

How Long can I stay in Canada with a valid Business Visa?

Since the Canadian Business Visa is a Visitor Visa, you can only stay for up to 6 months. Nonetheless, you are encouraged to stay only for the time that you have stated in your application, even if that is less than 6 months. The Embassy could give you a visa that is valid for a longer period, up to 10 years, but your authorized period of stay is up to 6 months at a time.

Can I bring my dependents with me to Canada with a business visa?

Since you are applying for a visa to attend a business meeting or a similar reason, you cannot bring your dependents to Canada with a business visa. Dependents, in this case, are your spouse or common-law partner and your minor children.

If they want to accompany you for this trip, they must apply for Canadian visitor visas.