Temporary residents and visitor visa extension

If you are a foreign national:

Canada welcomes all kinds of temporary residents, whether they come to visit, work or study. If you are a foreign visitor or temporary resident and your permit is about to expire, you must apply for a 30-day extension prior to the expiration date of your visa.

Contact us for more information.

If you have a visitor’s visa:

A temporary resident visa allows foreign nationals to enter Canada. Depending on your needs and the type of visit you are planning, you might need one or all of the following:

• A valid passport that does not expire until after you leave Canada.
• Visitors need to apply for a visa to travel to Canada, unless they come from a visa exempt country.
• Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors, so visitors should purchase travel insurance prior to arrival.
• If visitors want to stay longer, they must apply to extend their temporary resident status before it expires.

If you want to extend a visitor permit (visa):

If you are a foreign national whose visitor permit in Canada is about to expire, you must apply for extension 30 days prior to the expiration date of your visa.

If you want to change the conditions or extend your stay in Canada:

If you want to change your status and/or extend your visit, the following documents may be of service:

• Document Checklist (IMM 5558) (PDF, 35 KB)
• Application to Change Conditions, Extend My Stay, or Remain in Canada (IMM 1249) (PDF, 251 KB)
• Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409) (PDF, 97 KB)
• Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) (PDF, 55 KB)
• Instruction Guide (IMM 5551)

If you are already in Canada as a visitor and wish to convert your visitor visa into a work permit:

Usually, individuals cannot come to Canada as visitors and convert their visitor visa into a work permit. If you wish for this to happen, you will likely have to apply for a wok permit from outside Canada. For more information, please contact us.