Types of Canada Visas for Indians: Which should you apply?

Manmeet Kaur
[Published 29 Apr, 2024 | 04:15 PM]
About Author - 10 min read
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The Canadian government offers several types of visas for foreign nationals to enter and stay in the country for specific purposes and duration.

Work? Study? Visit? Move Permanently?

Canadian visa categories are categorised as - Temporary Resident Visas, for those who wish to stay in Canada temporarily, and Permanent Resident Visas, for those who wish to settle in Canada from India.

But which one should you apply for? - depends on the purpose of your visit.

Types of Canadian Visas for Indians

Determine the Canadian visa type that aligns with your situation and prepare your application accordingly and effectively.

Temporary Visas

As the name suggests, a temporary visa allows foreign nationals to stay in Canada temporarily for a short period. Once your visa expires, you need to leave the country. Visas under this category are ideal for Indians who don’t have anything long-term planned in Canada. 

Keep in mind that you can convert your study visa to Canada PR, as well as other temporary visas such as work permits can be converted into permanent residence, but that’s complex and takes time. So, if you’re up for that, you can explore that path later on.

1. Canada Work Visa

With a Canada Work Visa, you can live and work in the country as long as your work permit is valid. The type of work permit you can obtain depends on the immigration pathway you choose.

Here are the various work visas available, each designed for different immigration routes or programs.

• Open Work Permit: Indians with relevant skills and experience can work for any employer across Canada, without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). However, this permit is issued to a dependent family member of someone who applied for permanent residence.

• Employer-Specific Work Permit: You need an LMIA-approved job offer from an employer in Canada to get an Employer-Specific Work Permit. An LMIA is a document proving that there were no citizens or permanent residents in Canada who were able to fill the position. After entering Canada, if you wish to switch jobs, simply apply for a new work permit.

• Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): International graduates who wish to live and work in Canada after completing their studies can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit. The duration of PGWP lasts for up to three years but the exact length is based on the length of your course or program.

• International Experience Class (IEC): The government of Canada has signed bilateral agreements with certain countries, permitting citizens of those countries to travel and work in Canada under International Experience Canada (IEC). India is not on this list, so you can use a recognized organization instead. IEC has three pools of travel and work experience, and an individual might be eligible for more than 1 pool: Working Holiday, Young Professional, and International Co-op Internship.

Indian nationals who have dreamt of pursuing higher studies in Canada can apply for a study permit, but your program must be more than six months long. To apply, get a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), are not inadmissible, and have enough funds (at least $20,635) to support your education and other requirements. You must also convince the visa officer that you’ll leave Canada once your visa expires.

If you’re someone who's not eligible for any permanent residence pathway, study is a good option to consider. After completing your studies, you might be eligible to apply for a PGWP, gain valuable experience in Canada, and leverage that to apply for permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Students taking admission to a school in Quebec need to obtain a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) before applying.

3. Canada Visitor Visa

Apply for Canada Visitor Visa from India depending on your circumstances given below:

• Single Entry Visa: As the name suggests, you can only enter Canada once with this type of visitor visa and stay for a maximum of 6 months. After it expires, you must return to India and to visit again, reapply.

• Multiple Entry Visa: Similarly, a multiple entry visitor visa lets you enter Canada as many times as you want till the visa is valid, which is 10 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can stay in Canada for 5 years per entry - without renewing your visitor status.

• Super Visa: A type of visitor visa, Super Visa Canada is issued only to the parents and grandparents of permanent residents and citizens in Canada. Those visiting Canada with this visa can live for up to 5 years per entry – without extending their visa.

• Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): You are required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if you are flying to or have a layover through a Canadian airport. If you’re travelling by land, you do not need an eTA (or a visitor visa to Canada). As India is listed under “visa required” countries, apply for an eTA to enter Canada.

Permanent Residence Visas

Many Indians have a dream of settling in Canada with their families, and that is possible through one of Canada’s permanent residence visas. As a PR, you get many social benefits like free healthcare, the ability to live and work anywhere in the country, the ability to sponsor a spouse, partner, dependent children, parents and grandparents, and more.

No matter which of the below-listed visas you apply for, they all lead to permanent residency in Canada.

1. Express Entry

The fastest and best way to apply for Canada PR from India is through Express Entry (EE). This is a point-based system where applicants are assessed according to their age, work experience, education, language proficiency, and other factors. To find out if you’re eligible to apply or not, use a 67-point calculator and score 67 out of 100 points - to qualify.

Create an EE profile and once you enter the pool, your profile is ranked as per a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) and given a score. The higher this score is, the better your chances of getting selected for an Invitation to Apply (ITA) by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in the subsequent EE draws.

Express Entry was designed to meet the labour gaps and economic goals through skilled foreign workers under three categories:

• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): With one year of work experience in a skilled occupation listed under Canada’s NOC list, you may be eligible to apply for FSWP under Express Entry. You also have to meet language, age, and other requirements - and get 67 out of 100 points to be eligible.

• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP): Indians with two years of experience in a skilled trade and proficiency in French or English may be eligible for FSTP. In addition, you must either have a Canadian certificate of qualification to practice your trade in Canada or a job offer in your skilled trade.

• Canadian Experience Class (CEC): Candidates with at least 12 months of Canadian work experience on a valid work permit are eligible for CEC. To apply, you also have to fulfil the language requirements.

After Express Entry, the second best way to gain permanent residence in Canada is to apply through one of the Provincial Nominee Programs. Every province, except Quebec and Nunavut, has unique requirements that they meet by hiring immigrant workers for in-demand skills. To apply, you have two options - either apply through Express Entry-aligned streams or get a direct nomination.

If you have a strong connection to a specific province or hold an employment letter from a Canadian employer in that province have a higher chance of getting a nomination. Some popular PNPs are the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP), the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP), and more.

3. Quebec Immigration 

Quebec runs its own selection process to hire foreign workers for permanent residence, under two programs:

• Quebec Experience Class (PEQ): Foreign graduates and Indians with work experience in Quebec who wish to settle in Quebec, must apply through the Quebec Experience Class (PEQ). You must obtain a Quebec selection certificate from the federal government to apply.

• Quebec Skilled Worker (QSW): To gain permanent residence in Quebec without a job offer and French language proficiency is to apply for QSW. It is based on a point system just like Express Entry. You must meet the minimum requirements on the QSW points grid to submit an Arrima profile. The province conducts regular draws to select top-ranking candidates to apply for PR.

The government of Canada offers several sponsorship programs to help individuals in Canada reunite with their family members, including spouses, children, parents, and grandparents in India. Those who hold a PR or are citizens of Canada and are at least 18 years old with enough funds are eligible to apply for sponsorship and bring their spouse, common-law partner, dependent children, parents and grandparents to Canada.

You cannot wake up one day and apply for any visa - whether temporary or permanent. Meeting the eligibility requirements for the visa you are applying for is crucial to qualify for applying and fulfilling your dreams.

Need Help?

Connect with Nationwide Visas, one of the best Canada immigration consultants in India, who will assess your case, offering the best possible solution to apply for a type of Canada visa.

Get a free consultation session and determine the best option to apply for your situation.

Call us@ +91 92 92 92 92 81 or email us at info@nationwidevisas.com

Read More:- Canada Immigration: From Temporary Resident to Permanent Residence