Types and Categories of Canada Visa

A Canada visa is a stamp on your passport which grants you legal access to the country of Canada and there are different types and categories.

It is a ‘permission’ document that lets you travel to Canada and legally be able to permanently or temporarily stay, depending on what you apply for and what you got granted.

Applying for and getting a visa to Canada means that the Canadian Consulate or Embassy in your country of origin found that you are eligible and meet all the requirements for entry.

However, when you get to the Canadian border and customs, it is in the officers’ place at the border to decide whether you are fit to enter or not.

If you supply the Canadian Border Services Officer (BSO) with the right and honest answers to their questions, they will grant you entrance into the country.

On the other hand, if they suspect that you’re not being truthful, hence ineligible to enter, they reserve the right to refuse you and ask that you go back to your country irrespective of whether you have a Canada visa or not.

Types and Categories of Canadian Visa

Right before applying for a Canadian visa, it is expedient to take the time to do your research and know which visa you want.

There are two categories of Canada visa and they are;

Temporary visa
Permanent visa

As for the types, here is a list outlining them;

Visitor visas.
Student visas.
Work visas.
Permanent Residence visas.
Business Immigrant visas.
Express Entry Program visas.

Whichever you decide would be based on your motive for going to Canada.

Temporary Canada Visas

The temporary Canada visas are visas that allow a person to stay in Canada for a specific, terminable period of time determined by the Canadian Consulate or the Border Services Officers (BSO).

This time is usually at least 6 months or a little more. Note that the temporary visa can be a multiple entry visa, or just a single entry visa.

The Single entry visa grants a person access to Canada once, stay for 6 months and then go back to his/her home country, while the multiple entry visa lets a person enter Canada many times until the expiration of their visa.

Canada tourist visa
Canada super visa
Diplomatic and official visa
Courtesy visa
Canada business visa
Visa to give birth in Canada
Intending organ donors visa
Canada facilitation visa
Canada student visa
Canada temporary work visa
Temporary residence permit
Working holiday visa

Permanent Canada Visas

The permanent Canada visas are visas that allow the holder to settle permanently in the country. These are alternatively known as immigrant visas and can be of different types, as follows:

Immigrant investor program
Self-employed persons visa
Startup visa program
Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)
Quebec-Selected Skilled Worker Program (QSWP)
Family-Sponsorship Program
Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP)

Express Entry Visas

This Entry Program is an electronic immigration program designated by the Canadian Government. It allows people from around the world to apply for immigration to Canada based on their specific skill set.

Under this, there are the following programs;