Canada Business Visa

Within the Temporary Resident Visas of Canada, there are also visas which allow business representatives or delegations to visit the country for the purpose of doing business with companies in Canada. This visa is called the Business Persons and Business Delegations visa.

What is the Canada Business Visa?

Canada is a highly developed economy and it attracts a lot of businesses and people who want to develop business relations. Sometimes these people might need to visit Canada and meet with potential business partners to develop their plans or sign business agreements.

To enter Canada, they might also need a visa. That is why the Canadian government created the Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa.

The Canada business visa allows those who want to go to Canada with the purposes of doing business with a Canadian company to enter the country and engage in the following activities:

1. Attend meetings.
2. Participate in conferences or workshops.
3. Sign agreements, etc.

The Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa is a temporary visa, which means that the person who holds it can only stay in Canada for a short period of time, usually less than 6 months. Additionally, the person with this visa is not allowed to work for any company in Canada. They are only allowed to discuss business and sign any potential agreements.

If you want to go to Canada to work temporarily, then you need a Temporary Workers Visa for Canada. With the Business Persons Visa, you are also not allowed to benefit from Canadian health coverage or apply to get Canadian documents.

What are the Eligibility Criteria for the Business Visa Canada?

In order to qualify for a Business Persons and Business Delegations Visa, there are certain conditions requirements that the potential applicant must fulfill. The eligibility criteria for the Canadian Business Visa are more extensive than the ones for visiting since the government and Embassy want to make sure that you will not try to work in Canada illegally. In addition to the eligibility conditions that apply for all of the Temporary Resident Visas, the conditions that you must also fulfill are as follows:

1. You must have your own business in a country other than Canada or be an employee of a business registered in a country other than Canada.
2. You must have an income from a place of work that is located in a country other than Canada, so you cannot be an employee in Canada.
3. It is advisable to have a record of respecting other business visas from other countries.
4. You must have proof that you are developing a business relationship with a company in Canada or that you have been invited for a meeting, conference, or workshop.

If you do not fulfill these conditions, then it may be more difficult to convince the Canadian Embassy or Consulate to grant you the Business visa, or they might reject your application.

How to Apply for the Canada Business Visa?

If you meet the eligibility criteria explained above, then you can start your application process to get a Canada Business Visa. There are several steps you must go through, as follows:

1. Confirm your eligibility for a Canada Business visa.
2. Compile the document file and application forms for a Canada Business visa.
3. Submit the Canada Business visa application.
4. Wait for processing and respond to additional requests for information.
5. Send your passport for stamping.

Completing the document file for a Canada Business Visa

Within the application page, you will also have to submit the following supporting documents:

1. The required documents for every Canada visa application.
2. Complete travel itinerary if you have already booked your tickets, or just a description of what you plan to do once in Canada.
3. A letter of invitation for Canada visa application from the company you are visiting from the workshop, conference, or trade show organizers.
4. Registration documents of the company you work for.
5. A letter from your employer stating your job title, salary, and reason why you are visiting Canada;
6. Registration documents from the Canadian company which has invited you in Canada.
7. A Declaration Letter from you to the Government of Canada where you explain why they should give you a visa.
8. Two photographs that meet the Canada Photo Requirements.

Note: All documents must be in English or in French and if they have been translated, you must provide a certification that the translation is correct. 

Once you submit all the documents, you can then proceed to submit the application. After that, you will have to pay the visa application fee and your application will be completed.

What are the Canada Business Visa fees?

The cost to apply for the Canadian Business Visa is CAD$100 with an additional fee of CAD$85 if you are asked to give your biometric information. So the application cost for the Business Visa is CAD$185.

If your visa is approved, then you will have to pay for the passport processing, which costs around CAD$45.

How Long is the Canada Business Visa processing time?

Depending on the workload of the Canadian Embassy you are applying in, you will have to wait from 1 to 6 weeks for the Business Visa to be processed.

How Long is the Canada Business Visa Valid?

Since the Canadian Business Visa is a Temporary Resident Visa, it is not valid for more than 6 months. You are encouraged to stay only for the time that you have stated in your application, even if that is less than 6 months. The Embassy could give you a visa that is valid for a longer period, such as 3, 5 or even 10 years, but you must not stay for more than 6 months at a time.

Can I bring my dependents with me to Canada with a business visa?

Since you are applying for a visa to attend a business meeting or a similar reason, you cannot bring your dependents to Canada with a business visa. Dependents, in this case, are your spouse or common-law partner and your minor children.

If they want to accompany you for this trip, they must apply for a Canada Visitor Visa.