Prior to their arrival in Canada, business visitors, except U.S. citizens and green card holders, will have to obtain a TRV (temporary resident visa) or ETA (electronic travel authorization) based on their country of citizenship.

The CBSA officer at the point of entry is responsible for establishing the duration of the authorized stay of the foreign national in Canada. Most business visitors (BV) may be admitted to provide after-sales services in Canada for up to 6 months at a time. If their stay needs to be extended, depending on the circumstances, they may be able to either apply to extend their business visitor status within Canada, or have to leave the country and request to be admitted as a BV again, or apply for a work permit. CETA: Under the CETA, business visitors are usually allowed to work in Canada for a maximum of 90 days in any 6 month period.

Business visitors must demonstrate that they meet the requirements to perform their activities in Canada, for instance providing after-sales services that are part of a warranty or sales contract. Particularly when applying for a TRV, one essential document to provide is a letter of invitation from the Canadian host. Such letter must include details about the applicant themselves, the Canadian person and company inviting them and the context and reason of the invitation. Additional documents, including, when applicable, a detailed letter of support from the applicant’s foreign employer sending them to Canada and a copy of the initial sales agreement (with the related service contract) will also be necessary.

Typically, foreign nationals applying to visit or be admitted to Canada for less than 6 months would not need to take an Immigration Medical Exam (IME) prior to their visit, but applicants should verify conditions applying to their case.