Are you planning to come to Canada to immigrate, study, work, or simply visit?
Every year, thousands of foreigners flock to Canada on a temporary basis to offset the skill scarcity in various industries or to study at Canadian educational institutions or simply to visit all that Canada has to offer. Temporary residence status refers to people who wish to come to Canada to visit, work or study. They are coming to Canada for a temporary period and are therefore considered visitors.
To be eligible for a temporary resident permit, your need to enter or stay in Canada must outweigh the health or safety risks to Canadian society, as determined by an immigration or a border services officer. Even if the reason you’re inadmissible seems minor, you must demonstrate that your visit is justified.
What is Temporary Resident Permit?
A Temporary Resident Permit, also known as a TRP, is a document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada that allows people who are technically inadmissible to Canada to visit the country. A TRP is only given to a person if their need to come to Canada outweighs the risk of that person being in the country. For example, an individual might be granted a TRP for a visit to Canada if the trip is work related and that person’s presence in Canada will be beneficial to the country or its citizens.
Canadian Border Service officers determine which Temporary Resident Permit applications are approved. They will compare the risks of a person’s entry to the benefits it will have on Canadian society. Therefore, it is up to the applicant to demonstrate that they are deserving of temporary residence in Canada. TRPs usually cover the length of a person’s stay in Canada and if you are granted one, you must leave once your temporary residence has expired.
Who Needs a Temporary Resident Permit
Anyone who is inadmissible to Canada but has a valid need to come to the country needs a TRP. TRPs can cover either medical or criminal inadmissibility. If you are inadmissible to Canada because of a criminal conviction and you completed your sentence less than five years ago, a Temporary Resident Permit might be your best option if you need to travel to Canada. If a person is deemed inadmissible to Canada, their family members travelling with them may also be considered inadmissible. Those family members will need to apply for, and be granted, their own individual TRPs before a border officer will let them enter Canada. When a person receives a TRP and is in Canada, they must adhere to certain conditions in order to remain in the country. They must respect and follow all Canadian laws. In order to work or study in Canada during temporary residence, a person must also receive the proper permits in addition to the TRP. A temporary resident cannot leave and re-enter Canada without proper authorization. When a TRP expires, its holder must leave Canada.
Eligibility Criteria for Temporary Resident Visas
To be eligible to apply for the Temporary Resident visas for Canada you must be able to fulfill the following criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old to apply as the primary visa applicant.
- Have a valid governmental issued passport with at least one blank page that is not the last page of the passport.
- Translate and certify all the documents that you have that are in another language other than English or French.
- Gave a clean criminal history and submit court documents to prove it.
- Be ready to pay the necessary visa application fees and visa processing fees.
- Sign and date the appropriate documents where necessary.
- Fill and sign a Visa Application Center (VAC) Consent Form.
- Submit copies of your current immigration status in another country or in Canada.
- Have enough funds to cover your stay in Canada.
- Be ready to attend and interview or give biometric information.
- Go through a medical examination if the Canadian Consulate asks you to.
- Prove that your stay in Canada is temporary and that you will return to your home country once your visit is over.
- You must prove that you do not plan to work or study in Canada.
- However, depending on the type of TRV visa that you are applying for, you might have to comply to additional criteria.
- How to apply for a temporary resident permit
If you’re eTA-required
If you’re a citizen of an eTA-required country, your application for an eTA was refused, you may be issued a temporary resident permit. This depends on the nature and circumstances of the inadmissibility and the why you need to travel to Canada.
The visa office responsible for your country or region may have its own application form for temporary resident permits. You should check the visa office to find out exactly how to apply.
If you’re visa-required
You must apply for a visitor visa and include supporting documents to explain why you’re inadmissible and why it may be justified for you to enter Canada.
You may have to attend an interview so that an officer can assess your application.
How long you can stay in Canada
A temporary resident permit is usually issued for the length of your visit to Canada—for example, 1 week to attend a conference. You must leave Canada by the expiry date of the permit, or get a new permit before your current one expires.
This permit may be cancelled by an officer at any time.
The permit is no longer valid once you leave Canada, unless you have specifically been authorized to leave and re-enter.
Fees
You must pay a fee (CAN$200) to cover the cost of processing your application for a temporary resident permit. The fee will not be refunded if the permit is refused.