If you are presently in Canada on a visitor visa, you might be wondering what you can do to keep staying in Canada after your visa expires.
In today’s article, we will review your options to stay in Canada after your visa expires. Be sure to maintain your legal status in Canada to avoid any immigration issues.
Extending Your Visitor Visa
Before thinking of applying for a different visa, consider extending your stay in Canada on your visitor visa. To do this, you will need to submit an application to extend before your temporary status expires. Additionally, you must complete and submit all requirements before expiration, including any biometric data and application fees. You should apply online to extend your visa. If you meet all requirements, you should be able to remain in Canada until a decision is made regarding your extension application.
Applying online to extend your visitor visa also means applying for a visitor record. A visitor record is issued to extend or limit a temporary resident’s approved length of stay. It could also outline any other conditions or requirements the visitor must meet.
Your visitor visa extension can only be granted as long as your passport or other travel document is valid. Extensions cannot exceed the date of your passport’s expiration.
Visitor Visa to Work Permit
Visitor visa holders in Canada can apply for a work permit if they receive a valid Canadian job offer. In this case, you do not need to leave Canada to switch from your visitor visa to your work permit. This option was made available to immigrants during the pandemic and will remain in effect until February 28, 2025. This option is also great for Canadian employers as their hiring pool grows to include visitors in Canada.
