Types of visas for Canada

There are two types of tourist visas:

• Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa): For people with Colombian, Argentine, or Peruvian passports.
  • It can be requested both physically and online
  • It is also requested when making stops in Canadian territory
  • Valid for a maximum of 6 months
  • Fee: $100 CAD

• ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization): For people with Spanish, Mexican, or Chilean passports.
  • It is requested online
  • It lasts 5 years and allows staying in the country for maximum periods of 6 months
  • Allows studying courses in Canada for less than 6 months
  • Price: $7 CAD

• A valid passport for at least one more year.
• Being healthy. They may ask you to provide some medical tests certifying that you are in good health.
• Demonstrate to immigration that your purpose in Canada is purely tourist and that you plan to return home when your visa expires. To do this, you will have to provide information about your work, academic, or family responsibilities, and a departure flight from the country.
• No criminal problems or convictions.
• Demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your travel expenses. This will vary depending on the time and places you plan to visit.
• Pay the visa fees. As we have seen before, the price ranges from $7 CAD to $100 CAD.

To apply for a student visa, you must gather a series of papers, certificates, and documents that you must present to the Canadian immigration department.

• Being enrolled in a course at one of the accredited institutions. To choose where to study in Canada, you can consult the government list or contact us, and we will propose accredited centers where you can study.
• A letter of acceptance from the institution certifying that you are enrolled and the duration of the course.
• A valid passport with a minimum validity of 6 months.
• Two recent passport-sized photos with your name and date of birth written on the back.
• Certify that you have $883 CAD for each month of the course in which you have enrolled.
• Good health and willingness to take a medical exam.
• An official document issued by the police certifying that you have no criminal record in your country of origin.
• English or French proficiency proof. If you come to pursue a university degree or other higher education, you must demonstrate that you speak one of the two official languages fluently.
• A letter of motivation explaining why you are going to study in Canada and what you want to learn in the course you have chosen.
• If you are going to study within the province of Quebec, you will have to request an acceptance letter from the provincial government of Quebec.
• Pay visa fees ($150 CAD).

Normally, the student visa or Study Permit is requested online before traveling to Canada, although in some cases, it is also possible to apply from within the country.

If after reading this list, you feel a little overwhelmed, our number one requirement is that you contact us. At Dingoos, we are experts in everything related to coming to study in Canada.

Our Dingoos Guides will help you choose what you want to study, in which city and school, and once you know what you want, they will help you with enrollment in the chosen course and school.

Once enrolled, you can apply for your student visa. From here, you will have two options: take advantage of our free assistance service in collecting documentation and applying for a student visa offered by our Department of Visa Experts for Canada, or be referred to an immigration lawyer to process your visa application. Whatever you prefer!

And it doesn’t end here! The Integration Department will also help you plan, organize, and book everything you need to start your adventure in Canada, and once here, they will accompany you to carry out the first procedures, such as obtaining a SIM card, tips for finding an apartment… so that your arrival and stay in Canada are unforgettable from the beginning.

With the student visa, you can study a wide variety of courses in one of the best educational systems in the world in Canada. Keep reading to discover some of the options that you can proudly put on your CV and that will open the door to many good job opportunities in the future.

• English or French courses. Improve your level in English or French, two of the most spoken languages worldwide, which will allow you to travel and work with greater confidence. There are general English courses and those focused on obtaining a qualification.
• Professional training. Here, you can choose to study a Diploma or Certificate with or without Co-op. These courses are focused on teaching you everything related to a profession or trade and to make you ready to join the labor market. Although in Canada, you can work part-time while you study, if you enroll in a Co-op course (courses that combine theoretical and practical parts), you will have the opportunity to work full-time during the practice periods. This is an excellent option to gain some work experience in the field you have chosen to study and earn some legal money, as these practices are usually paid.
• Undergraduate and Graduate degrees. This is the most expensive option but also one of the most prestigious that can provide you with more job opportunities in the future. Year after year, Canada tops the rankings of countries with the best universities worldwide, and it is for a reason! Having a degree awarded by a Canadian university is highly valued and will make your CV a winner. If you want to have this badge on your CV, we recommend that you go for it and take a Bachelor’s degree at one of Canada’s globally recognized universities.

If you come to study in Canada and are married, your partner can apply for an open work permit, which will allow them to work full-time while you complete your studies. Sounds good, right? Let’s see what types of studies you can take so that your partner can get an open work permit and work full-time.

• Be enrolled in a public college, university or CEGEP in Quebec.
• Be enrolled in a private university in Quebec.
• Be enrolled in an official Canadian institution that grants bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

Note that if you have come to study English, you cannot apply for this type of work permit for your partner.

The processing of the open work permit has a fee of CAD 550.

As with any other visa application process for Canada, you will need to be prepared to gather official papers and documents. To make it easier for you, we have created this list with all the requirements.

Before starting with the paperwork, we recommend that you make sure you have a passport from one of the 35 countries that can apply for the Working Holiday Visa. The Spanish-speaking countries on this list are Spain, Chile, and Costa Rica.

Are you in? Perfect, let’s see what you need:

• Create a profile on the Immigration website to be evaluated by the Canadian government. If your application is accepted, you can start the application process.
• Have a valid passport with a validity equal to the total time of your stay in Canada.
• Be between 18 and 35 years old at the time of applying for the visa.
• Demonstrate that you have $2500 CAD in your bank account to cover your initial expenses in Canada.
• Contract a medical insurance that covers your entire stay in Canada.
• Demonstrate that you have no dependents.
• Have an updated CV and a Canadian-style one.
• Demonstrate that you have no criminal record.
• A color passport-sized photo.
• Pay the visa fees ($155 CAD).
• Provide your biometric data upon arrival in Canada. It may sound SCI FI, but it is simply your fingerprints and photograph, and you can do it once you arrive in Canada at one of the Immigration Department offices.

Have you gathered everything? Keep in mind that, even if you are fast and have everything in order, to get a Work and Holiday visa you will also need luck on your side, as there are only 800 spots for Spain, 725 for Chile, and 80 spots for Costa Rica.

If you are lucky enough to get your Work and Holiday Visa… congrats! After so much stress and so many arrangements to make, you deserve to arrive in Canada and not have to worry about anything else. That’s why if you want a big welcome, write to us. At Dingoos, we take care of making your arrival in Canada as easy as possible with our Work and Holiday Welcome Pack. With this pack, you will have access to all the advantages of being part of the #DingoosFamily, including airport pickup and assistance with the first procedures in Canada, such as opening your bank account and getting your SIM card.

And if you don’t get a Work and Holiday visa or don’t meet some of your requirements but still want to live the experience of your life in Canada, write to us! There are many ways to come to Canada, and at Dingoos, we know them all. Contact us and we will inform you of all your options, such as the student visa, which also allows you to work in Canada, and we will take care of all the procedures for you for free so that you don’t have to worry about anything this time.

If you have studied in Canada at an accredited institution such as a public college, you can easily access the Post Graduation Work Permit. With this visa, you can stay and work in Canada for 8 months to 2 years or more (the visa has the same duration as the course you studied).

Its main advantages are that you can work for any company without a limit on hours and gain work experience in one of the most prosperous markets in the world… which translates into good salaries.

Additionally, with this visa, you can accumulate work experience in Canada, which is one of the requirements to obtain permanent residency in the country.

Requirements to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit:

• Studied at an accredited educational institution that allows you to apply for this type of permit after completing your studies.
• Successfully completed a program of more than 8 months in duration that is not language-related.
• Stayed in Canada at all times with a legal study and/or work permit and a valid visa.
• Obtained a certified letter from the school confirming that you were enrolled and completed your studies successfully.
• Applying for a Post-Graduation Work Permit for the first time (it is only granted once in a lifetime).
• Paying the processing fees ($225 CAD).

There are some exceptions and additional requirements. Read our article on Post-Graduation Work Permits to learn everything you need to know.

As we mentioned before, with an Open Work Permit, you can work anywhere in Canada for any Canadian company, full-time.

This is the permit you’ll need to request to work during your Working Holiday Visa or the work permit that your partner can obtain if you have a Study Permit, remember?

Requirements to apply for an Open Work Permit:

It’s best to apply for an Open Work Permit once you’re in Canada. If you apply from outside the country, you’ll need to make some extra efforts, such as providing biometric exams and going through a visa approval verification process.

To apply for an Open Work Permit, you’ll need to complete a series of common requirements and other specific ones that will vary depending on each visa.

The common requirements are:

• Prove that you have enough money to cover your expenses in Canada.
• Have no criminal charges or be a threat to the country’s security.
• Demonstrate that you will leave the country once your work permit expires.
• Certify that you are in good health.
• Have a job offer from a Canadian employer or company.

Qualified foreign professionals can apply to the Federal Skilled Worker Program.

The basic requirements you must meet are:

• A degree equivalent to a university degree in Canada.
• Have at least 1 year of work experience (1560 hours if you worked part-time) within your university studies’ field.
• An English certificate proving that you have a high level of English or French.
• Other requirements that may be requested are demonstrating that you have sufficient savings for your stay in Canada or a medical check-up.

If you have demonstrated work experience in a trade (carpenter, miner, bricklayer, etc.), you can apply to the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The minimum requirements to apply for this visa are:

• Have at least 2 years of work experience in your trade. This is a total of 3120 hours if you have been working part-time.
• Present a high level of English or French certificate.
• Have a full-time job offer for 1 year.
• If you have a degree or diploma certifying your education, present it. It is not mandatory, but it will earn you extra points.
• You may be asked to demonstrate that you have money to support yourself in Canada or provide additional documents.

If you are an international worker who has been living or currently resides in Canada and also has work experience within the country, you can apply for the Canadian Experience Class.

The minimum requirements to apply for this type of visa are:

• Have at least 1 year of work experience in Canada within the last 3 years. If you have been working part-time, the total hours should be equivalent to the hours accumulated by working full-time (1560 h).
• Work experience must have been legally obtained through a visa that allows you to work in Canada, with a work permit and a job contract.
• Certify that you have a high level of English or French.
• It is not essential to present a degree, but if you have one, you can present it because it will earn you points.

Yes. You can choose between tourist, student, or work visas, but obtaining a visa to enter the country is essential.

Yes, although not for all visas. Contact us at Dingoos, and we will help you choose the visa that best suits your profile and needs.

To work in Canada, the first thing you need is a visa that allows you to work in the country.

If your visa allows you to work, you’re already halfway there! Speaking English is important to find a job, but attitude is even more critical. If you are proactive and eager, you will find a job soon, and little by little, you will improve your English.

In Canada, due to its colonial past, English and French coexist as the country’s primary languages, which is why all public services and most of the population are bilingual.

That being said, the only bilingual province in Canada is New Brunswick. In Quebec, the official language is French, and in the rest of the country, it’s English.

Up to you! At Dingoos, we can assure you that you will study at a good school that fits your budget and plans in Canada. We can also help you find a job and an apartment, but when it comes down to it, learning English is entirely up to you.

If you work hard in class and surround yourself with a group of international friends, you will learn better English and more quickly.

If you want to combine work and study, your best option is to choose a Co-op course.

These are vocational courses that combine a block of theory with a block of practical training. During the theory portion, you can work part-time, and during the practical training portion, you can work full-time in something related to your studies.

You cannot work in Canada with a tourist visa.

You cannot work with a student visa if you come to study an English language course.

However, if you come to study something other than English, you can work part-time during the school year and full-time during the holidays.

Yes, as long as the course has a maximum duration of six months. But remember, with this visa, you cannot work legally.

You can apply for it online through this link.

You can apply for it online through this link.

The Study Permit is applied for online through the Canadian immigration government page. Write to us, and our Visa Experts Department will help you gather all the necessary documentation and also assist you throughout the application process. If you prefer, we can also put you in touch with an immigration lawyer to apply for your Study Permit for Canada. It’s up to you!

If you want to travel to Canada through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, you will have to meet some requirements, such as being between 18 and 35 years old, providing your biometric data, or demonstrating that you have sufficient financial funds ($2,500 CAD) for your first few weeks in Canada, among others. Visit our Work and Holiday Visa page or write to us to receive personalized advice from a Dingoos Guide.

To be eligible for the Express Entry program, you must have at least two years of proven full-time work experience (or an equivalent amount of part-time work experience) in a skilled occupation within the five years prior to the application.

The Open Work Permit in Canada is a type of work permit that allows a person to work for any employer for a specific period of time. Contact us and receive free advice from a Dingoos Guide to answer all your doubts.