Persons that come to Canada lawfully for short periods of time are considered under the Temporary Residence category. Certainly, these individuals must seek permission to enter Canada by applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), if required, before traveling.
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
It is important to point out that citizens of specific countries require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada. However, others are visa-exempt and may just need an Electronic Transfer Authorization (eTA) when traveling by air. On the contrary, certain travellers do not need any of the two. The category of TRVs include visitors, students, workers, and temporary resident permit holders. Each type of application has its own requirements. So, there are also different supporting documents to provide. Besides, depending on the country of residence, applicants may also need to provide biometric information. Lastly, all temporary resident applicants must prove their identity, prove their intentions to come to Canada, provide evidence of ties to their home country, provide proof of available funds, and provide any other documents requested by authorities at the time of the application and at the time of entry.
How to obtain Temporary Residence in Canada?
Before applying, the person must meet the eligibility criteria set out for this category. Next, they need to ensure that they are not inadmissible to Canada. The process involves making an application, as we have mentioned, supported by relevant documents. Once they submit an application, an immigration officer determines if the person is eligible under that category, not inadmissible, and then decides whether or not to issue the TRV, a paper document that is added to the passport. A TRV does not guarantee entry to Canada or grants temporary resident status to the holder.
Once the applicant has received a TRV and they seek admission to Canada at a Port of Entry (POE), such as an airport, officers from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) will examine the applicant. That is, the officer needs to validate if they have the required documents and/or visa to authorize entry and they must be satisfied that they will leave Canada before the expiry of the approved stay. Finally, after a successful examination, the officer grants temporary resident status and the person can now enter Canada.
Maintaining Temporary Resident Status
The TRV sets out the validity of the visa, the conditions or restrictions issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that the foreign national must comply with. The duration authorized may be stamped in the passport by an officer or left blank, in which case, a validity of 6 months is the norm. A temporary resident can change or extend (Visitor Record) their stay if they meet the requirements for that purpose. If the applicants sends an application to extend their stay or change conditions before the expiry date of on their current document, they will have Maintained Status, which is the extension, by law, of their period of authorized stay until a decision is made by IRCC.
To clarify, a temporary resident shall not engage in activities that are not allowed according to their immigration document in order to maintain status. To illustrate, a visitor is not allowed to work in Canada. In most cases, a person who wishes to work in Canada needs a work permit.
North Compass Immigration Consulting can assist you with your Canadian Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) applications, including:
- Visitor Visas
- Parents and Grandparents Super Visa
- Study Permits*
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
- Co-op Work Permit
- Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP)
- Work permits
- Electronic Travel Authorizations (eTA)
- Temporary Resident Permits (TRP)
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* Financial requirements have changed as of January 1, 2024.