Business Visitor Canada
Canada’s business market is thriving, and many people come to Canada to train, learn, or complete other international business activities, as business visitors.
What Are Business Visitors?
A business visitor includes someone seeking temporary entry into Canada for international business activities who is not directly entering the Canadian labour market.
As a business visitor, you must prove that you plan to stay for less than six months and do not plan to enter the Canadian labour market. As part of this, you will need to show that you work for a foreign company, or that your main place of business and income source is outside of Canada. You will need to provide documents supporting your application.
As always, you must meet Canadian basic entry requirements, including having a valid passport and other required travel documents. You will also need to show that you have enough money for the length of your stay and to return home, and are not a criminal, security, or health risk.
International Business Activities
International business activities include meeting with people who work for companies that conduct business with the business visitor’s country. They also include trips to visit Canada because a Canadian company requested training in sales, product use, or other business functions. Observing or overseeing site visits are also allowable business activities.
Other international business activities are conducting independent research and attending a trade fair or convention for promotional purposes.
Work under after-sales service agreements may be included, too.
Work To Perform After-Sales Service
After-sales service required under a warranty or sales agreement may be allowable for entry as a business visitor if specifically related to service contracts for specialized commercial or industrial equipment, including computer software, purchased or leased outside of Canada. The business visitor must be seeking entry, based on fulfilling a contract, to perform services, such as install, service, repair, supervise or test work on the equipment.
The business visitor must be an installer, repair person, maintenance worker, or supervisor. The visitor’s entry will require specialized knowledge essential to fulfilling the contract. The work can include actively performing these services or training Canadian workers to perform the services.
Business Visitor vs. Business People
Business visitors and business people are different classifications for distinct purposes. Business people aim to enter the Canadian labour market and earn money from a Canadian source. They come to do work in Canada under a free trade agreement. A business visitor, on the other hand, does not enter Canada to work for a Canadian company or work within the Canadian labour market.
Business people can enter and work in Canada if they qualify under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) or the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). There are also other Free Trade Agreements in effect that business people can enter and Work in Canada under, including the Canada-Chile FTA, Canada-Peru FTA, Canada-Colombia FTA, and Canada-Korea FTA.
Work Permit and Work For A Canadian Company
A business visitor does not need a work permit to enter Canada. As a business visitor, you must prove your main source of income and your place of business are both outside of Canada.
You will not be considered a business visitor and may need to get a work permit if the work you are doing is for a Canadian company. This includes if you are sent by a foreign company to fulfill a contract with a Canadian company, except as allowed under allowable international business activities.
If you wish to stay for longer than six months, you will probably be considered a temporary worker and will need to apply for a work permit.
Visas and eTAs
Business visitors who need avisaor an electronic travel authorization (eTA) must complete an application. eTAs or visitor visas cover all visitors, including business visitors. Visitor visas can be single-entry or multiple entries and have a wide range of validity dates. Usually, maximum stays of up to six months apply.
You can confirm what travel documentation you need on the Government of Canada website.
A valid passport is required to visit Canada. If you are from a country that does not need a visa for visiting Canada, an eTA will be needed. Otherwise, a visa is required.
At Oro Immigration Service, our experienced, committed immigration consultants have helped many business visitors come to Canada over the years. We can help you, wherever your home country is, to quickly and efficiently get you access to visit Canada for your business activity.