Visas, work permits and study permits in Canada

• eTA (electronic travel authorization): citizens of visa-exempt countries need an eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. It costs $7 (2026), is applied for online with your passport, a credit or debit card and an email address, and most applications are approved within minutes. Lawful permanent residents of the United States are exempt, and US citizens do not need one.
• Visitor visa (temporary resident visa): citizens of visa-required countries need a visitor visa to travel to Canada. The fee is $100 per person, plus $85 for biometrics (fingerprints and photo; maximum $170 for a family applying together).
• Dual Canadian citizens must use a Canadian passport, not an eTA.

Use only the official canada.ca pages to apply.

• An employer-specific work permit is the most common type. You need a job offer, and your employer may first need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada, which shows that hiring a foreign worker is justified, unless the job is exempt. The permit names your employer and its conditions.
• An open work permit lets you work for most employers without a job offer, but it is only available in specific situations, such as post-graduation work permits for eligible graduates, International Experience Canada (working holiday) participants, some people waiting for a permanent residence decision and some family members of foreign workers or students.

Fees in 2026: $155 for the work permit, plus the $100 open work permit holder fee for open permits, and $85 for biometrics. IRCC's online questionnaire tells you which permit type and instructions apply to you.

Most foreign nationals need a study permit to study at a designated learning institution (DLI) in a program longer than six months, and should apply before travelling. You need:

• a letter of acceptance from your DLI (always required);
• in most cases, a provincial attestation letter (PAL), which your school issues, usually after you accept the offer and pay part or all of your tuition; and
• proof of financial support: for applications made on or after September 1, 2026 for study outside Quebec, $23,448 a year for a single student's living costs, on top of tuition and travel (it was $22,895 before that date); more for family members.

The fee is $150 plus biometrics. With a study permit that allows work, you can usually work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions and without an hours limit during scheduled breaks such as the summer holidays, as long as you keep meeting your permit conditions.

If you applied from outside Canada, IRCC sends you a port of entry letter of introduction when your permit is approved. Carry it with your passport and the documents you used for your application (job offer, letter of acceptance, proof of funds). The border officer checks them and issues your work or study permit at the airport. Read it before you leave the counter: check your name, date of birth, permit type, employer, conditions and expiry date.

• Apply for a Social Insurance Number so you can work and be paid.
• Check whether you are eligible for OHIP; work permit holders who work full time for an Ontario employer for at least six months may be. International students and people on shorter permits usually need private or school insurance.
• Your employment rights under Ontario law apply whatever your immigration status.

Apply online to extend your permit, or to change your conditions, job or employer, before your current permit expires. If you apply in time and stay in Canada, you can generally keep working or studying under your current conditions while IRCC decides (often called maintained status). If your status expires, you may be able to apply to restore it within a limited period, but you must stop working or studying until it is restored.