Canada business visitor visa: what you can do

You must plan to stay less than 6 months, not enter the Canadian labour market, have your main place of business and source of income and profits outside Canada, carry supporting documents, and meet the basic entry requirements. Typical activities: buying Canadian goods or services for a foreign business, taking orders, attending meetings, conferences, conventions or trade fairs, giving after-sales service under a warranty or sales agreement, being trained by a Canadian parent company, or training staff of a Canadian branch of a foreign company.

Bring your passport with the visa, a letter from your employer and from the Canadian host or event, contact details of your business hosts, and proof of funds. If you plan to stay more than 6 months or will do work in Canada, you may need a work permit instead.

If your conference or event is registered with IRCC, the organizer gives you an event code to enter in your visa application, which helps identify you as a participant. Otherwise apply as a regular visitor, explaining the business purpose and attaching the invitation and employer letter.

IRCC sends a letter explaining the reasons, most often doubts about your ties to your home country, the purpose of travel or your funds. There is no appeal for visitor visas; you can apply again with a new fee and stronger evidence, or seek judicial review at the Federal Court in limited cases.