Visiting Canada: visitor visa, eTA and super visa

It depends on your passport and how you travel. Citizens of visa-exempt countries flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA, which is applied for online and linked to the passport. Most other travellers need a visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa. IRCC has an official tool on canada.ca that tells you which one applies to you.

Most visitors can stay for up to six months. The border services officer decides how long you may stay when you arrive and may give you a shorter period, which is then shown in your passport or on a visitor record. If you want to stay longer, you must apply to extend your stay before your current status expires.

IRCC does not publish one fixed amount for visitors. You need to show that you can pay for your trip, your stay and your return home, and that the money is really yours or available to you. If someone in Canada is supporting your visit, include their invitation letter and proof of their funds as well.

A visitor cannot work in Canada without a work permit. You can take a short course or program that lasts six months or less without a study permit, but anything longer needs one. If your plans change after you arrive, check the official IRCC rules before you start any job or longer program.

The super visa is only for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. It lets them stay for up to five years at a time, instead of the usual six months. The child or grandchild in Canada must meet a minimum income, and the parent needs medical insurance that meets IRCC requirements.