Temporary residents of Canada can travel outside the country, but must meet re-entry requirements outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada (IRCC) to be able to return.
Temporary residents include visitors to Canada, as well as international students and temporary foreign workers. Each of these groups of foreign citizens will receive a visitor visa/temporary resident visa (TRV) to come to Canada.
Visitors to Canada (temporary residents who do not have a work or study permit) must meet certain entry requirements to return if traveling outside of Canada or the United States (US). However, these requirements vary depending on whether the individual is a visa-required traveler, a visa-exempt traveler, or a U.S. citizen.
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Travelers requiring visa
A traveler who requires a visa is a person who comes from a country that requires visa. These travelers require a valid document tourist visa every time they want to enter Canada, unless they are returning directly from a visit to the US or Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
Visa-exempt travelers
Visa-exempt travelers are people from a country that requires a Electronic travel authorization (ETA). These travelers need an eTA if they fly to Canada, but not if they enter by land or sea (boat, train, bus, etc.). Travelers entering Canada by land or sea simply need to ensure they have a valid passport or travel document.
Note: eTAs are valid for five years from issuance or until the passport linked to the eTA expires. Visa-exempt travelers should ensure they travel to Canada using the passport linked to their eTA.
American citizens
U.S. citizens typically only need a valid passport or travel document to enter Canada.
However, IRCC notes that NEXUS members can use their membership card to enter Canada regardless of the mode of transportation they use (land, sea, air). Meanwhile, FAST members can use their membership card to enter Canada when traveling by land or sea only.
More: Mobility as an international student or temporary foreign worker
Both study permit holders and work permit holders can travel outside of Canada. However, it is important to note that the permit itself (study or work) does not serve as a travel document.
In other words, neither permit gives you the right to travel and/or enter Canada. This means that, in addition to your permit*, you may need a visitor visa or eTA to leave and re-enter Canada, depending on where you are from.
*IRCC notes that some international students may only need a valid passport to re-enter Canada. It depends where they are from.
Note: The IRCC clarifies that possession of an eTA or visa, together with a study/work permit, does not guarantee re-entry to Canada. The permit holder must still demonstrate that he meets all applicable re-entry requirements before being allowed to return to the country.
What is the difference between a visitor registration and a visitor visa?
Visitor visas allow foreigners to come to Canada, either to visit, study or work temporarily. However, it is also important that foreigners do not confuse this document with a visitor registration.
A visitor visa allows citizens of visa-required countries to travel and enter Canada as a visitor for up to six months. This visa is placed inside the recipient’s passport, demonstrating that they meet the requirements to enter Canada. Visitor visas include the date you must arrive in Canada, but it is important to note that this date is not an indication of when the visa holder must leave the country.
A visitor record is a document issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) or the IRCC to extend or restrict the recipient’s stay in Canada. In other words, a visitor record is used to verify a foreign citizen’s visitor status in Canada while also describing how long the individual is authorized to remain in the country.
Unlike a visitor visa, visitor records are separate documents that are not included in the recipient’s passport. In particular, these documents include an expiration date for the recipient’s stay in Canada, which is the deadline by which the individual must leave the country.
Visitor records may also be provided to foreign nationals when the IRCC approves the application to extend their stay in Canada or restore their status. Foreigners must apply for a visitor registration when:
- They arrive first at the port of entry if they already know they want to stay longer than six months.
- They are already in Canada and have decided that they want to stay longer.
Note: Foreign nationals already in Canada must apply for a visitor registration at least 30 days before the end of their authorized stay in Canada.
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reference: www.cicnews.com