Canada is considered an ideal country for living and immigration due to its various immigration programs, social welfare, and high living standards. Every year, Canada attracts a significant number of immigrants due to its ideal location. However, the first step to entering this country is obtaining a Canadian visa, which is required by most individuals, including Iranians.
Various types of Canadian visas are issued for different purposes, and currently, there are over 100 immigration programs available for immigrating to Canada.
If you are considering traveling or immigrating to Canada, we recommend reading this article from the ISS Immigration Organization to obtain more information about the types of Canadian visas, visa requirements and documents, visa application process, and other useful and practical information in this regard.
Types of Canadian Visas
In general, Canadian visas can be classified into two categories: permanent residence visas and temporary residence visas. Each type of Canadian visa is issued for specific purposes and has different variations, which we will discuss below:
Permanent Residence Visas
One of the types of Canadian visas is the Canadian Permanent Residence visa, which is issued to applicants who intend to stay permanently and indefinitely in this country. If you successfully obtain a permanent residence visa, you can immigrate to any province in Canada and live, work, and study there. However, keep in mind that in some cases, the conditions for obtaining a Canadian visa are contingent upon living in a specific province. The processing and issuance of these types of visas usually take longer.
Types of Canadian Permanent Residence Visas
One of the three programs under the Express Entry group is the Canadian Skilled Worker Program (Federal Skilled Worker Program – FSWP). This immigration program is designed to attract skilled and specialized foreigners and is based on a scoring system. It is possible to apply for the skilled worker group in two sub-groups, federal and provincial.
After a year and a half break in issuing this type of visa, the Canadian government resumed the Express Entry lottery on July 6, 2022 in its three subgroups, including the Federal Skilled Worker.
Another subgroup of Express Entry is the Canadian Experience Class (CEC). Through this program, individuals with at least one year of work experience in Canada can successfully obtain a Canadian visa.
Therefore, individuals who have entered Canada through a study visa and worked in Canada for at least one year after graduation, as well as individuals who initially entered Canada with a work visa and have one year of work experience in this country (excluding the province of Quebec), can apply for Canadian permanent residency through the CEC program.
Another subgroup of Express Entry is the Federal Skilled Trades program (FSTP). This immigration program is designed to attract foreign individuals who have the required skills and work experience in technical and trade occupations in Canada. This program is also points-based, and you need to score the required points to enter the pool for the draw.
The Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) is specifically for foreign graduates from Quebec or temporary foreign workers in Quebec. Through this program, individuals can successfully obtain a Canadian visa within a specific timeframe.
You may already be familiar with the fact that each province in Canada offers various immigration programs, referred to as PNPs (Provincial Nominee Programs). Applicants can successfully obtain a Canadian visa through these programs.
The federal government and provincial governments in Canada offer multiple investment programs to attract foreign investors and contribute to the country’s economic development. Through these programs, individuals can obtain Canadian permanent residency.
Having sufficient capital to start or purchase and develop a business is essential in Canadian investment programs.
One type of Canadian visa is the Entrepreneur Visa. Each province in Canada provides conditions for obtaining Canadian permanent residency through their own entrepreneurship programs for applicants who are business owners or senior managers. Through the Entrepreneur Visa, individuals can establish a new business in any province in Canada or purchase an existing business and expand it.
Applicants who intend to establish a new business in Canada that is innovative and technology-based can successfully obtain a Canadian visa through this route.
After receiving a letter of support from authorized organizations approved by Canada, these entrepreneurs can apply for permanent residency in Canada for themselves and their family members.
The Canadian Self-Employment Program is one of the methods to obtain a Canadian visa. It allows artists and athletes with relevant work experience who can make a significant contribution to Canada’s cultural or sports life to obtain permanent residency in Canada and immigrate to the country as self-employed individuals.
Individuals who are over 18 years old and are Canadian citizens or permanent residents can sponsor their parents, grandparents, spouse, dependent child, adopted child, or non-Canadian partner for permanent residency in Canada through the Canadian Family Sponsorship visa. Both the sponsor and the sponsored person must meet the necessary requirements for this program.
One of the methods to obtain a Canadian visa is through marriage to a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. In this method, your Canadian spouse takes financial responsibility for you and applies for a Canadian marriage visa on your behalf. Once the visa is approved, you will receive permanent residency in Canada.
Temporary Residence Visa
The Canadian Temporary Residence Visa is one of the types of Canadian visas issued to applicants who apply for temporary residence in Canada. Typically, these individuals enter the country with the intention of studying, working, or visiting. If these individuals wish to stay permanently in Canada, they must apply for permanent residency through one of the permanent residence methods after a certain period and meeting the necessary requirements.
Let’s now examine the types of temporary Canadian visas:
To study in Canada, you need to first obtain a study permit and, in some cases, a work permit. The Canadian study visa is issued for various levels of education, including school, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. It’s worth mentioning that the study route is one of the easier methods for Iranians to obtain a Canadian visa.
After completing your studies, you have the opportunity to obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) and then apply for Canadian permanent residency.
The Canadian Work Visa, also known as a Work Permit, has various types and different methods for obtaining a Canadian visa through work. Some subcategories of the work visa require a valid job offer from a Canadian employer, while others allow for the possibility of obtaining a work visa without a job offer.
Currently, as of July 2022, the processing time for Canadian work visa applications has become somewhat lengthy.
Another type of Canadian visa is the Canadian Tourist Visa, which is issued for specific purposes such as visiting family members, friends, or relatives, tourism, or exploring business opportunities in Canada. This visa can be a single-entry visa, also known as a Single Visa, or a multiple-entry visa, commonly referred to as a Multiple Visa.
If you have a student child who is planning to study in Canadian schools and obtain a student visa, you have the opportunity to accompany your child to Canada as their parent. This requires obtaining an Accompanying Visa, which is one of the types of Canadian visas. The requirement for obtaining a Canadian visa to accompany your student child is to submit your visa application along with your child’s student visa application.
If you have a child or grandchild who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and is over 18 years old, you can apply for a Canadian visa, known as a Super Visa, to visit and stay with your children or grandchildren. This visa is a multiple-entry visa with a validity of 10 years, allowing you to stay in Canada for up to 5 years on each entry without the need for visa extension.
Specific Conditions for Obtaining a Canadian Visa:
In addition to the general conditions mentioned above, specific types of Canadian visas have their own requirements. Here are some types of Canadian visas and some of their specific conditions:
Types of Canadian Visas:
- Federal Skilled Worker Visa:
– Have work experience in occupations classified as Skill Type 0, Skill Level A, or Skill Level B according to the Canadian National Occupational Classification (NOC).
– Have at least one year of work experience (1,560 hours) acquired within 12 months.
– Obtain a minimum score in the General IELTS test (or its French equivalent).
– Achieve a minimum CRS (Comprehensive Ranking System) score.
- Startup Visa:
– Obtain a minimum score in the General IELTS test.
– Obtain support letters from recognized and approved Canadian supporting organizations.
– Have an innovative business idea based on technology.
- Provincial Entrepreneur Visa:
– Have a minimum of 2 years of ownership or senior management experience in a business.
– Have a net worth (the required amount varies among different provinces).
– Have an investment amount (the required amount varies among different provinces).
– Undertake an exploratory visit (required for some provinces).
- Canadian Study Visa:
– Obtain acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada.
– Demonstrate sufficient financial means to pay for tuition fees and one year of living expenses.
– Show sufficient ties to your home country.
- Work Visa:
– Obtain a job offer from a Canadian employer.
– Obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada.
- Tourist Visa:
– Have a good travel history.
– Have an invitation letter from Canada.
Please note that this is a general overview, and specific requirements may vary depending on the type of Canadian visa and the program. It is essential to consult the official Canadian immigration website or seek professional advice for detailed and up-to-date information on Canadian visa requirements.
Documents required to obtain a Canadian visa:
To apply for various types of Canadian visas, you need to provide the necessary documents for that specific program. Some documents are common for all visas, while others are specific to each type of visa.
General documents for obtaining a Canadian visa:
– Identification documents such as a valid passport, translated birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), service completion card or exemption for males.
– Police clearance certificate.
– Medical examination documents (for permanent residence visas in Canada).
– Employment documents such as a job letter, insurance history, recent pay stubs, company registration documents (if applicable), or business registration certificate.
– Educational documents.
– Property-related documents such as land deeds, house/apartment documents, shop documents, car ownership documents, etc.
– Financial capability documents such as bank letter and bank statements.
Specific documents for obtaining a Canadian visa:
Types of Canadian visas | Specific documents for obtaining a Canadian visa |
Federal Skilled Worker visa:
| – Language proficiency certificate. – Educational credential assessment from recognized organizations in Canada. – Job offer (not mandatory but increases CRS score). |
Startup Visa Canada: | – Language proficiency certificate. – Support letter from supporting organizations. |
Provincial Entrepreneurial Visa:
| – Invitation letter from the provincial government. – Support letter from the provincial government. – Business plan. |
Canadian Study Visa:
| – Letter of acceptance. – Proof of payment receipt (if applicable). – Scholarship letter (if applicable). |
Work Visa:
| – Job offer letter from the employer. – Signed contract between the employer and the applicant. – LMIA confirmation letter. |
Tourist Visa:
| – Invitation letter from relatives or friends. – Financial and employment documents of the inviter. – Medical insurance for possible issues. |
Cost of obtaining a Canadian visa:
To obtain various types of Canadian visas, you should consider several costs. Below are approximate average costs:
– Application processing fee (varies depending on the type of Canadian visa): $100 to $16,000.
– Biometrics fee: $85 per person.
– Medical examination fee: $100 to $400.
– Photo and document translation fee: $200 to $500.
– Educational credential assessment fee (including delivery): $200 to $350.
– Language test fee: $300.
– Police clearance fee (varies by country): $27 to $40.
– Medical insurance fee (required for some temporary resident visas): $150 per month.
– Required bank statement for the desired visa per person: minimum $13,000 to $35,000.
– Passport issuance or renewal fee in the country of origin (varies by country): $20 to $60.
– Legal services fee (varies depending on the type of visa application): $2,500 to $30,000.
How to obtain a Canadian visa:
- Assess your eligibility for various Canadian visas.
– Evaluate your age, language score, educational level, financial capacity, etc., and match them with the requirements for Canadian visas. You can find information about different types of Canadian visas and the application process on the official Canadian immigration website or seek assistance from immigration consultants or lawyers.
- Choose the appropriate immigration program.
– After evaluating your situation and reviewing various programs and visas, select the best immigration program in Canada based on your circumstances.
- Prepare the required documents.
– After choosing the visa type, prepare the necessary documents according to the checklist provided and scan them.
- Visit the official Canadian immigration website and select the desired visa type.
– Choose from various Canadian visas such as work visa, visitor visa, study visa, or immigrant programs and click on the relevant visa category.
- Create an account and upload the required documents and forms.
– Enter your personal information to create an account and answer the application questions. Then upload the required documents and forms in the designated sections.
- Pay the application and biometrics fees (if you haven’t done biometrics for Canada before).
– After uploading the documents, prepare your credit card and pay the application fees.
- Schedule an appointment for biometrics at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) under the supervision of the Canadian Embassy and complete the biometric process on the specified date and location.
- After visa approval, send your passport to the Canadian Embassy in neighboring countries to have the visa label inserted and arrange for passport pickup.
Please note that the mentioned steps are general and may vary for specific immigration programs such as investment visas, entrepreneurship visas, or provincial nominee programs (PNP), which may involve additional steps like interviews or exploratory visits.
The importance of chances in obtaining a Canadian visa:
The chances of obtaining a Canadian visa depend on your individual circumstances. Your chances may be higher for a Canadian study visa but lower for a Canadian investment visa, depending on your specific situation.
There are also factors that can increase your chances of obtaining a Canadian visa. Considering these factors can bring you closer to achieving your goal. Here are some factors that can increase your chances of obtaining temporary resident visas in Canada:
For short-term visas such as study visas, work visas, or visitor visas, which are the most common types of visas for Iranians, any factor that demonstrates your intention to leave Canada after the expiration of your temporary stay can increase your chances of obtaining a Canadian visa.
No, obtaining Canadian visas is not free. It requires the payment of fees. Part of the fees is paid to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for processing the visa application, and another portion is spent on document translation, document preparation, language testing, biometrics, etc.
The processing time for Canadian visas varies depending on the type of visa. The response time for temporary resident visas in Canada usually ranges from one week to six months, while obtaining the result for permanent resident visas typically takes six months or more. These are average processing times, and it should be noted that the processing time for Canadian visa applications is constantly changing depending on the embassy’s circumstances.
The validity of a Canadian visa depends on the type of visa. For example, study visas are valid for the duration of the study program, work visas are usually valid for two years, and tourist visas for Iranians are typically valid for five years.
How to follow the Canadian visa answer
After submitting the visa file and taking Canadian fingerprints, you can follow up on your visa in several ways:
1. Daily Check of Visa Portal: Check your portal through which you have submitted your visa documents every day. To do this, enter your visa account on the website of the Canadian Immigration Department and enter your username and password. After entering the portal, check the latest status of your case in the Check Application Status section.
2. Submitting a web form: If the visa processing time is prolonged, submit a web form to follow up on the result of your visa. The web form is an online tool for sending a request and it is in the form of a form that you have to fill and write your request text in the specified field.
If you have applied for a visa from outside of Canada, since the visa application for Iranians is reviewed at the Canadian Embassy in Ankara, you must apply through IRCC Webform – Ankara;
If you have submitted your visa application from within Canada, you can send your application to IRCC Webform to track the visa result.
If you entered a web form once and did not receive an answer quickly, we recommend you to be a little patient and do not enter the web form continuously. After some time, Immigration Canada will finally respond.
3. Send email to Canadian Immigration: Another way to track your visa result is to send email to Canadian Immigration. In this case, send your request or question to question@cic.gc.ca.
4. Contacting the Canadian Immigration Department: Another way to follow up on your visa is to contact the Canadian Immigration Department.
The desired phone numbers include:
If you are outside Canada: 4000 944 613 001
If you are in Canada: 2100 242 888 001
We recommend that you do not contact the Canadian Immigration Department frequently. If you face a delay in the response and visa issuance, it is better to prioritize methods 1 to 3, and if you still do not receive a response, then call them.
5. Correspondence with a member of the Canadian Parliament:
If you tried methods 1 to 4 and still did not get results, in the next step you can correspond with a Member of Parliament (MP) of the province where you are going to live later. Of course, this is if you have relatives in Canada who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents and you can do this through them.
For this, enter the Parliament of Canada page and select the member of your choice there and correspond with him about the status of your visa case.
Members of the Canadian Parliament have the authority to talk directly with the officers of the Canadian Immigration Department and follow up on the status of your case from them and receive a specific answer.
Canadian visa rejection
According to its immigration policies, the Canadian government has a limited capacity to issue visas in its various branches every year. Therefore, it is natural that not all requests lead to obtaining a Canadian visa, and some of them are rejected.
After a rejection, there are several ways to get your Canadian visa application back on track:
Re-requesting a visa or resubmit
Request for visa reconsideration
Appeal in the Federal Court of Canada or Court
No; Obtaining all types of Canadian visas requires spending money. A part of the costs is paid to the Canadian Immigration Department to review the visa case, and another part of the costs is spent on translating documents, preparing documents, obtaining a language certificate, fingerprinting, etc.
The duration of the review of cases varies depending on the type of visa. The answer to Canadian temporary residence visas usually takes from one week to 6 months, and receiving the results of Canadian permanent residence visas usually takes 6 months or more. This duration was expressed as an average and experience has shown that the duration of processing Canadian visa cases is constantly changing depending on the conditions of the embassy.
The duration of validity varies depending on the type of visa. For example, the validity of the study visa is as long as the duration of the study, work visas are usually 2 years and tourist visas for Iranians are usually 5 years.
ISS immigration Organization is made up of the most experienced immigration attorneys and trusted advisors, with over 2,000 successful cases in all stages from immigration to residency in Canada
