Visitor Visas

Between 2004 and 2013, based on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada reports, more than a million people came to Canada to seek a new life. Here is a list of the top countries people emigrated to establish their home in Canada:

Refusal rates for visitor visas have risen, exceeding 61% for some countries. Officers now apply stricter scrutiny, making well-prepared applications essential.

Its primary objective is to enhance governmental control over immigration, asylum, and border management, while granting broader discretionary powers to enable faster decision-making.

Liberal MP Joe Peschisolido is optimistic that he can persuade federal ministers to curb so-called birth tourism, as pressure for action mounts in B.C. “We are reaching a tipping point,” he said. “Nurses have told me that this is displacing folks from giving birth in Richmond.”

In some situations, international students in this country may need – or be required by their Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI) – to defer their program’s start date to the following semester.

Yes, but only with a work permit.

If you are sponsoring your spouse or partner in Canada, they can apply for an open work permit when they apply for permanent residence.

In the first quarter of 2025, Canada approved 834,010 temporary resident applications, including study permits, work permits, and visitor visas, according to new IRCC data. This surge highlights Canada’s global appeal but also reflects growing strain on the immigration system.

Canada has started testing digital visas as part of a broader plan to modernise its immigration systems and improve service delivery. The pilot began on November 27, 2025 and includes a small group of already-approved Moroccan visitor visa applicants. These travellers receive a digital version of their visa along with the traditional counterfoil in their passport.

Canada has extended a special policy until March 31, 2028.

Canada is set to speed up the processing of certain visitor visas. This is part of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)'s new strategy, aiming to improve services for newcomers and reduce wait times.

A new arrangement between Canada and Portugal will give people between the ages of 18 and 35 the opportunity to live and work in either country. Signed May 3, the new bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement will let 2,000 Canadian and 2,000 Portuguese youth travel and work in each country through the Working Holiday, International Co-op, and Young Professional streams of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.

The government of Canada has unveiled its New Tourism Vision, a 20-point plan that aims to increase the number of international tourists coming to the country by 30 percent by 2021. As part of this plan, the government has set an even higher target for the Chinese market, with plans in place to double the number of Chinese tourists coming to Canada over the next four years.

Canada ranked 19th in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Countries rankings, placing just behind the United States at 18th.

IRCC recently announced significant changes affecting Canada’s visit visas. Previously, multiple-entry visas were typically granted based on passport validity, often allowing for a 10-year stay depending on the passport's expiration date. Now, these rules are shifting to be much more discretionary and aligned with individual circumstances, mirroring the approach seen with Schengen visas in Europe. Key changes include:

Canada has introduced stricter documentation requirements for digital nomads who want to work remotely from inside the country without a work permit.

Canada’s Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, emphasized the need for stronger measures to address the misuse of visitor visas. Temporary visitors sometimes overstay or find ways to illegally extend their stay or work in Canada. Some even use Canada as a gateway to illegally enter the U.S., revealing gaps in border control.

Effective March 1, 2023, new measures will make it easier for Iranians already in Canada to extend their temporary stay and move between temporary streams.

Canada’s visitor visa (TRV) refusal rate remains elevated, with about half of all applications refused in 2024–2025, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Rates vary by country but reflect ongoing efforts to manage temporary resident levels.

The visa requirement for United Arab Emirate citizens travelling to Canada for short stays will end on June 5, the Government of Canada has announced. Hussen said the visa exemption will help foster new business, trade and investment opportunities, among other advantages.

As of May 31, 2025, IRCC reported 802,000 applications in its backlog, marking a 5.5% increase from April's 760,200. This is the first monthly rise since October 2024.