- 1Check your activityInternational, not labour market
- 2Visa or eTAOnly if your passport needs one
- 3Gather lettersEmployer, host, contracts
- 4Officer decidesAt the port of entry
- 5Do your businessThen leave as planned
Overview
Section 186(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) lets a business visitor work in Canada without a work permit. Section 187 defines a business visitor. It is someone who seeks to engage in international business activities in Canada without directly entering the Canadian labour market, or who fits one of three listed cases: buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business or government, training within a Canadian parent or subsidiary of their foreign employer, or selling goods for a foreign business without selling to the general public.
The most common mistake is to think the activity's name decides the question. It does not. What matters is who benefits and who pays. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) treats these activities as work, because you may be paid for them. They are exempt only because they do not compete in the Canadian labour market.
- Work permits needed for qualifying activities
- 0
- Usual maximum stay; longer only with a visitor record
- 6 months
- Pay from outside Canada; business and profits mainly outside Canada
- 2 tests
No separate application
There is no business visitor permit to apply for. If you need a visitor visa, you apply for one and explain your business purpose. If you need an eTA or nothing at all, you show your documents to the border services officer, who decides whether you qualify.
Who it fits
A good fit if
- Your employer is outside Canada and keeps paying you while you are here.
- You are coming for meetings, a conference, a trade fair, negotiations or to buy goods or services for a foreign company.
- You will repair, service, set up or test specialized equipment bought or leased outside Canada, under a warranty or the original sales agreement.
- You will give or receive training within your company's Canadian parent or subsidiary.
- You will attend a board of directors' meeting.
Look elsewhere if
- A Canadian company has contracted your foreign employer to do work in Canada. That is entry into the labour market and needs a work permit. Work Permits
- You will be paid by a Canadian employer or work hands-on in construction trades. You need a work permit, with a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) unless an LMIA exemption applies. LMIA
- You are moving to Canada to manage a company branch. Look at intra-company transfers. Intra-Company Transfer
- You want to start or buy a business in Canada. Business immigration
- You want to stay as a tourist or with family. A regular visit is enough. Visitor visa (TRV)
Eligibility
To qualify, IRCC says you must show that:
- Short stayYou plan to stay for less than 6 months
- No labour market entryYou do not plan to enter the Canadian labour market, and your activity is international in scope
- Pay from outside CanadaThe primary source of payment for the activity remains outside Canada (IRPR section 187(3)(a))
- Business and profits outside CanadaYour principal place of business and the place where profits accrue remain mainly outside Canada (IRPR section 187(3)(b))
- Supporting documentsYou carry documents that support your purpose
- Basic entry requirementsA valid passport, enough money for your stay and return, a plan to leave at the end of your visit, and no criminal, security or health risk
You still need a visitor visa if your country is visa-required, or an eTA to fly if your country is visa-exempt. US citizens need neither. Medical exam rules are the same as for any visitor.
Allowed activities and what needs a work permit
| Usually a business visitor | Usually needs a work permit | |
|---|---|---|
| Meetings and events | Business meetings, conferences, conventions, trade fairs and exhibitions where you do not sell to the public | Selling to the public at the exhibition |
| Buying and selling | Buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business or government, or taking orders | Selling goods to the general public in Canada |
| Services | After-sales service under a warranty or the original sales, lease or rental agreement | Service contracts negotiated with a third party after the sale, or work on equipment no longer under warranty |
| Contracts | A foreign company sends staff to check quality on work it bought from a Canadian company | A Canadian client contracts your foreign employer to provide services in Canada |
| Training | Training inside your company's Canadian parent or subsidiary, with any production only incidental | Training where the goods or services produced are more than incidental |
| Governance | Attending board of directors' meetings | Other business duties beyond the board role |
IRCC's instructions give an example of a contract for service. A Canadian airport hires a US architectural firm, which sends its architects to work on site. Even though the architects are paid in the US, they need a work permit, because the contract brings them into the Canadian labour market.
Other groups IRCC lists as business visitors include foreign government officials not accredited to Canada, small film or recording groups renting studios, and personal employees, such as a nanny or assistant, of a short-term visitor. A personal employee normally stops qualifying if the stay goes beyond 6 months.
After-sales service
After-sales service is the activity that most often causes problems at the border. It qualifies only when all of these are true:
- Specialized equipmentThe service is for specialized commercial or industrial equipment purchased or leased outside Canada
- Allowed tasksYou will repair, service, set up, test or supervise this work
- Original agreementThe service is part of the original sales, lease or rental agreement, or an extension of it. A later contract with a third party does not qualify, unless the original sales agreement says a third company will service the equipment.
- No construction tradesSet-up does not include hands-on work normally done by building tradespeople such as electricians or pipe fitters, unless the equipment needs proprietary, product-specific knowledge
- Software upgradesInstalling, configuring or training on upgraded software can qualify if the after-sales service is clearly written into the new sales or lease agreement or purchase order
Trainers can also enter to train the Canadian buyer's users or maintenance staff after installation. They must keep their position at their home branch and receive no pay from the Canadian side other than expenses.
CUSMA business visitors (US and Mexican citizens)
The Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) adds more business visitor activities for citizens of the United States and Mexico. Officers first assess you under the general rules above. Only if your activity is not covered do they apply Chapter 16 of CUSMA.
- Citizens onlyUS or Mexican citizenship. Permanent residents of those countries do not qualify under CUSMA.
- A listed activityResearch and design; growth, manufacture and production; marketing; sales; general service; commercial transactions; public relations and advertising; distribution; tourism; tour bus operation; translation; or after-sales service
- International, not labour marketYour main source of pay and your principal place of business stay outside Canada
- Apply at the borderYou request entry at the port of entry; you cannot apply in advance
Under CUSMA, after-sales service covers installing, repairing or servicing commercial or industrial equipment, machinery or computer software that was made and bought outside Canada, during a warranty or service agreement. You must be employed by an enterprise in the US or Mexico. Hands-on building and construction work is never allowed, whatever the contract says. Officers send after-sales applicants to secondary inspection, so bring the original sales agreement and the warranty or service agreement.
Step by step
- 1
Confirm you are a business visitor
Check your activity against the rules above. If you will stay more than 6 months or work for a Canadian employer, you may need a work permit instead.
- 2
Check your entry document
Use IRCC's online questions to see whether you need a visitor visa, an eTA or neither.
- 3
Get an event code, if any
If you need a visa and your event is registered with IRCC, the organizer gives you an event code to enter on your application.
- 4
Apply for a visa or eTA
In a visa application, explain your business purpose and include your invitation and employer letters.
- 5
Carry your documents
Keep them in your hand luggage: passport, visa or eTA passport, employer support letter, the Canadian host's invitation, contracts or warranty agreements, the host's 24-hour contact details and proof of funds.
- 6
Explain your visit at the border
The officer decides whether you qualify and sets your stay. For a stay longer than 6 months, the officer may issue a visitor record.
Costs and processing times
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Business visitor status at the border | No fee |
| Visitor visa, if your country is visa-required (per person) | $100 |
| Biometrics, with a visa application (per person) | $85 |
| Electronic travel authorization (eTA), if flying from a visa-exempt country | $7 |
| Extend your stay as a visitor (visitor record, per person) | $100 |
Visa processing times depend on the visa office. The live figure below comes from IRCC's processing times tool. Apply well before your meeting or event.
Common refusal reasons
| Reason | What goes wrong |
|---|---|
| The activity is work in Canada | A Canadian client contracted the work, the pay comes from Canada, or the work is hands-on and productive |
| After-sales rules not met | The service contract came after the sale with a third party, the warranty has ended, or the work is construction trade work |
| Missing documents | No employer letter, no invitation from the Canadian host, or no copy of the sales or warranty agreement |
| Not a genuine visitor | The officer is not satisfied you will leave at the end of your stay (IRPR section 179(b)) |
| Wrong CUSMA status | A US or Mexican permanent resident, not a citizen, relying on CUSMA-only activities |
Working without a required work permit breaks the conditions of your stay. IRCC warns that it can lead to an admissibility hearing and removal from Canada. An officer can also cancel a visa or eTA if they have reasonable grounds to believe you will not leave at the end of your stay.
After entry
- Do only the activities you described. Any other work needs authorization.
- Leave by the date in your passport stamp or visitor record, or 6 months after entry if there is no stamp.
- Work as a business visitor does not count as Canadian work experience for the Canadian Experience Class.
- If your project runs longer, apply for a visitor record before your status expires, and only if you still qualify as a business visitor.
Current processing times
- Visitor visa (from outside Canada)Varies by countryMost countries: 24 days to 58 daysIran: 76 daysSource: IRCC, Nov 4, 2026
Estimates published by IRCC, the IRB or ESDC, updated automatically. They are not a promise of how long your application will take.
See all processing timesFrequently asked questions
No. Business meetings, conferences, conventions and trade fairs are business visitor activities under IRPR section 186(a). You still need a visitor visa or an eTA if your passport requires one.
Business visitors usually stay a few days or weeks and must plan to stay less than 6 months. The border services officer sets the stay. In some cases, such as long after-sales service projects, the officer may issue a visitor record for a longer stay.
Yes, but your main source of pay must remain outside Canada, and your employer's principal place of business and profits must stay mainly outside Canada. If a Canadian business pays you for the work, you are likely entering the labour market and need a work permit.
You can set up, test, repair or service specialized equipment bought or leased outside Canada, if the service is in the original sales, lease or rental agreement or its warranty. Hands-on work normally done by construction trades is not allowed, unless the equipment needs proprietary, product-specific knowledge.
IRCC lists a valid passport, a visa or the eTA passport if required, letters of support from your employer, an invitation from the Canadian host business, relevant contracts or warranty agreements, the host's 24-hour contact details and proof of funds for your stay and return.
A US or Mexican citizen who does one of the business activities listed in the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, such as research, marketing, sales or general service, without entering the Canadian labour market. Permanent residents of the US or Mexico do not qualify under CUSMA. Applicants request entry at the port of entry.
No. IRCC's instructions say work done as a business visitor cannot be counted as qualifying work experience for the Canadian Experience Class.
A business visitor does international business without entering the Canadian labour market, needs no permit and normally stays under 6 months. A work permit is needed when you will work for or be paid by a Canadian employer, or a Canadian client contracts your services in Canada.
Related programs
Official sources
We checked this page against these official sources on the review date above. Rules change often, so confirm with the official source before you apply.
- IRCC: Business visitors attending meetings, events and conferences
- IRCC program delivery instructions: Business visitors [R186(a)]
- IRCC program delivery instructions: Business visitors, CUSMA
- IRCC program delivery update: CUSMA business visitors (December 22, 2025)
- IRCC: Visitor visa, how to apply
- IRCC fee list
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (sections 179, 183, 186, 187)
This page is general information, not legal advice. No immigration outcome can be guaranteed. For advice on your situation, book a consultation with a licensed consultant.
