Business Visitor Visa and Qualifications

Steps to How to Qualify for a Business Visitor Visa

In order to qualify as a Business Visitor in Canada, there are several requirements that you must meet. Additionally, if you are coming to Canada from a country that requires a visa to enter Canada, you must still apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) prior to entering Canada. The TRV will allow visitors to Canada entry, even visitors that are entering Canada for business purposes. In this article, I will explain who qualifies as a business visitor, the eligibility requirements for a business visitor visa, how to apply for a business visitor visa, and steps after applying for a business visitor visa.

Who Qualifies as a Business Visitor

A business visitor is defined as an individual that is a foreign national that visits Canada with the intention of participating in activities which are related to an international business. Furthermore, these individuals do not directly go into the labour market of Canada. A business visitor often participates in business meetings, conferences or conducts site visitations to make observation. Additionally, they may also attend product or sales training that is conducted by the company in Canada or by a distributor; deal with an after sales agreement; and/or buy goods in Canada for a foreign company.

Eligibility Requirements for a Business Visitor Visa

As previously mentioned, there are several different eligibility requirements that one must abide by in order to qualify as a business visitor in Canada. Below is a list of eligibility requirements.

In order to be eligible as a business visitor, you must:

• Travel to Canada for business for less than six months;
• Not enter the Canadian Labour Market;
• Have a main business & income from outside of Canada;
• Obtain profits for your business from outside of Canada;
• Provide the proper supporting business documentation;
• Meet Canada’s basic visitor visa requirements, such as: - valid passport or travel document - financially able to take care of yourself for the duration of your stay in Canada and for the trip back home - intend on leaving Canada after your authorized stay - not be inadmissible

An Immigration officer will specifically look at all of these factors in order to determine whether you are, in fact, a business visitor. They will also have to ensure that your business is not in Canada and is from a foreign country. The foreign company must also obtain all of its profits from outside of Canada; if not, then they would essentially enter the Canadian labour market. As a result, they would not qualify under the business visitor visa.

It is also very important to note that if a visitor applies for a business visitor visa with inadmissibility issues, they will be denied entry into Canada. Therefore, the visitor should determine whether they are admissible prior to applying for the business visitor visa.

Documents Needed for a Business Visitor Visa

There are many requirements and documents that you must provide to Immigration in order to apply for a business visitor visa. By providing strong and sufficient documentation to Immigration, this will ultimately improve the chances of a successful application. In order to apply for a business visitor visa, you must provide these required documents:

• A letter of invitation from the Canadian organization to the foreign applicant;
• A letter from the foreign company that proves the foreign applicant is employed full time by that company overseas;
• A letter of verification that states the foreign applicant will not partake in employment within Canada;
• A copy of the after sales agreement (if applicable);
• A copy of the foreign applicant’s passport;
• The foreign applicant’s current resume that proves the foreign applicant has the appropriate experience to conduct business in Canada;
• A travel itinerary that shows the activities that will be performed in Canada;
• Evidence that the foreign applicant has sufficient ties to their country of origin.

Steps After Applying for a Business Visitor Visa

Once you have applied for a business visitor visa, there are certain steps that you must take prior to entering Canada. First and foremost, you should determine what the processing time is for a business visitor visa. The processing times differ based on the visa office that you sent the application to. By checking the processing times, this will help you avoid any possible delays.

If your application is successful and is approved, then you must receive a valid travel document to permit your entry into Canada. Keep in mind, if you do not receive this, you will not be allowed to enter Canada. Not only do you have to obtain a valid travel document, you must also provide the appropriate and updated contact information for where you will be within Canada. This is important should Immigration need to contact you for any reason. In addition, Immigration Canada may request a medical exam from you prior to your entry to Canada.

If you have received and completed all of the previously mentioned steps, then you are well on your way to entering Canada. Prepare yourself and make sure that you have all business documents needed in order to accurately conduct your business in Canada. If, by chance, you need to extend your stay in Canada due to prolonged business matters, you should apply to extend your stay prior to the expiry date of your valid travel document.

Contact Akrami & Associates

If you wish to apply for a business visitor visa, we can help you with this process. Much like any other immigration application, a business visitor visa application process can become overwhelming if done alone; therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients come to Canada for business. If you believe that you might be eligible, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!