Business Visitor
to Canada,
rules and requirements
A business visitor enters Canada for short term business activities without working for a Canadian employer. You apply with the same visitor visa or eTA, but you must declare the business purpose and bring the right supporting documents.
What is a Business Visitor to Canada?
Short term business travel without a work permit, using the same visitor visa or eTA as tourists.
A Business Visitor to Canada is a foreign national admitted to the country for short term business activities such as meetings, conferences, trade shows, training and after sales service, without working for a Canadian employer. The Business Visitor category is not a separate visa. Travellers enter using the same Temporary Resident Visa or eTA required by their nationality, but declare a business purpose at the time of application and again at the port of entry.
There is no specific “business visa” issued by Canada. When applicants search for a Canada business visa, they are referring to a standard visitor visa used with business intent. The visa document itself is identical to one issued to a tourist. What changes is the purpose declared on the application, the supporting documents submitted, and the activities carried out once in Canada.
Once approved, your visitor visa or eTA is not locked to the original purpose. If your first visit is for business, the same multiple entry visa can later be used for tourism, family visits or other personal travel during its validity, typically up to ten years for a TRV or five years for an eTA. What matters at each entry is the purpose you declare and the documents you bring with you.
Business Visitor status allows stays of up to six months per entry. If you plan to stay longer, conduct hands on technical work, or work directly for a Canadian company, you will need a work permit instead. The boundary between a permitted business activity and work requiring a permit is defined under IRPR R186(a) and depends on whether you enter the Canadian labour market and where your primary source of income is located.
What you can and cannot do as a business visitor
The key test is whether your activity enters the Canadian labour market. Permitted activities are international in scope and paid from outside Canada. Anything that competes with Canadian workers or that you do hands on for a Canadian employer requires a work permit.
Permitted activities · no work permit
- Attending business meetings, conferences, trade shows or conventions
- Site visits and inspections at Canadian facilities
- Negotiating contracts with Canadian companies
- Buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business
- Receiving training from a Canadian parent or subsidiary while employed abroad
- Providing training to employees of a Canadian branch of your foreign company
- Providing after sales or warranty service under an existing sales or service contract
- Selling goods on behalf of a foreign business (not directly to the general public)
Not permitted · work permit required
- Working directly for a Canadian employer
- Performing hands on technical work that a Canadian worker could do
- Selling goods or services directly to the Canadian general public
- Working remotely from inside Canada for an extended period
- Staying longer than six months per entry
- Activities that earn income from a Canadian source
- Replacing a Canadian worker during a labour dispute
Documents you need at the port of entry
A business visitor must present two types of documents at the border. Personal documents confirm your identity and travel, while business documents prove the purpose and international nature of your activity in Canada.
Personal documents
- Valid passport with at least six months remaining
- Visitor visa (TRV) or eTA, depending on your nationality
- Return ticket or onward travel itinerary
- Proof of funds for the duration of your stay
- Travel medical insurance recommended
Business documents
- Letter of invitation from the Canadian company
- Support letter from your foreign employer
- Detailed agenda or schedule of your business activities
- Business cards and corporate credentials
- Sales or service contract (if performing after sales service)
- Conference or trade show registration (if applicable)
Source: canada.ca · IRCC · Business visitors documentation · Updated 2026
If your case sits between business visitor and work permit
Some business travel sits in a gray area: hands on technical work, frequent visits, remote work, or events registered with IRCC under an event code. A licensed RCIC can review your case and recommend the right pathway.
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