Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has amended the visitor visa policy which ends the automatic 10-year visitor visa. Canadian visas will now be issued at the discretion of consular officers, meaning there is no guaranteed option for multiple entries or a set long-term validity.
Canada has now decided not to follow a streamlined US-type 10-year visitor visa and instead follow the Schengen visa-type policy with multiple and single entries as per the individual application merits. Visa officers will also exercise the right to decide visa duration for individual applicants.
The IRCC explained that this change is part of a broader strategy to manage temporary immigration levels, address housing shortages, and help control the rising cost of living. As a result, frequent visitors to Canada may now face higher application fees and shorter-term visas, which could impact those who regularly travel for work or leisure.
How the visitor visas will be analyzed now?
As per the instructions of IRCC, the visa officers will now consider the following factors to issue the visitor visas to the applicants:
1- Validity of the visitor visa
While multiple-entry visas can be granted for a maximum duration of up to 10 years (or until the applicant’s passport or biometric data expires, whichever comes first), officers may opt to issue a visa with a shorter validity period based on various factors. The key considerations include:
a) Purpose and Duration of Visit
Is the visit short-term, such as a business trip to provide after-sales support under a warranty or sales agreement?
b) Applicant’s Residency Status
What is the applicant’s status in their current country of residence, and are there strong personal or professional ties that would encourage their return? Additionally, is it likely that their connections to either their home country or to Canada will evolve over time?
2- Factors for entries (multiple or single entry)
a) Purpose of Visit
- Does the visit have a compassionate purpose, such as providing care for a critically ill or dying family member?
- Is the applicant intending to visit Canada for a specific, one-time event such as a conference, training program, or tourism? Alternatively, will they be returning regularly, perhaps to visit close family members?
- Is the applicant exempt from requiring a permit due to their status as a short-term student or worker? If they are minors, is parental authorization required for each visit, as might be the case for unaccompanied children attending seasonal programs?
b) Financial resources
- Has the host extended similar invitations to others, and do they have adequate resources to support all invited individuals on a repeated basis?
- Does the applicant have a reliable source of income, such as stable employment, sufficient to cover expenses for multiple visits to Canada?
- If a family member or friend in Canada is covering the applicant’s expenses, is there documented proof of the relationship, and is the host financially established within Canada?
- For visits funded by the applicant’s employer, such as attendance at a conference or business meeting, has the employer provided a formal letter confirming financial support?
c) Health Considerations
- Has the applicant disclosed any health conditions that may require ongoing care or could worsen over time?
- Is the primary reason for the visit medical treatment?
- If so, does the applicant have a plan in place to manage potential healthcare needs, such as valid health insurance coverage? If health insurance is provided, how long is it valid?
d) Additional Factors
- Has the applicant demonstrated substantial ties to their home country, such as secure employment or significant family responsibilities?
- Have they traveled internationally in the past, including any previous visits to Canada? If so, did they adhere to the terms and conditions of their previous visa?
- Finally, has the applicant ever been refused a visa for Canada or another country?
Previously implemented rules
Previously, the IRCC offered two types of tourist visas: multiple-entry and single-entry. Applicants didn’t need to specify their preference, as all were automatically considered for a multiple-entry visa.
Single-entry visas permitted only one entry into Canada and were generally issued for specific situations. These included official visits by foreign nationals eligible for fee exemptions, participation in one-time events in Canada, or cases guided by country-specific regulations. Once a traveler with a single-entry visa left Canada, they typically needed to obtain a new visa to return.
This type, on the other hand, allowed visitors to enter Canada multiple times during the visa’s validity, which could last up to 10 years or until one month before the passport’s expiration, whichever came first.