Reviewed September 26, 2026. Canada uses different documents for a short visit, study, temporary work and permanent residence. The right starting point depends on your citizenship, how you will travel and what you intend to do in Canada. Use IRCC’s eTA eligibility checker and visitor visa guidance before applying.
Visiting Canada: visa or eTA?
A visitor visa is placed in a passport. An electronic travel authorization (eTA) is linked to a passport and generally applies to eligible visa-exempt travellers who fly to Canada. Some travellers need neither, and requirements can differ when entering by land or sea. Nationality alone is not always enough to decide: check your passport and travel method in IRCC’s tool. A visa or eTA lets you travel to a Canadian port of entry; an officer decides whether you may enter and how long you may stay.
Studying: acceptance, permit and work conditions
Many international students need a study permit and an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution. Many applicants also need a provincial or territorial attestation letter, but IRCC lists exemptions, including qualifying public-institution master’s and doctoral programs from January 2026. Check the rules for your program and province before submitting an application.
Eligible students may work off campus for up to 24 hours a week during regular academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks, subject to permit conditions. A study permit does not automatically authorize every student to work. Verify your own eligibility and conditions before accepting a job.
Working: employer-specific or open permit
An employer-specific work permit usually limits the employer and work conditions. The employer may need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), but some jobs and programs are LMIA-exempt. An open work permit is available only to people who meet a specific eligibility category; it generally does not require an LMIA. Use IRCC’s work-permit guide to identify the right route. A job offer by itself is not a work permit.
Permanent residence: Express Entry and other routes
Express Entry manages applications under the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program and Federal Skilled Trades Program. First check whether you meet a program’s minimum requirements. Eligible candidates enter a pool and receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score. Invitation rounds can be general, program-specific or category-based. Being eligible to enter the pool does not guarantee an invitation.
Correction: An earlier version of this article said an LMIA-supported job offer adds 50 or 200 CRS points. IRCC removed job-offer CRS points on March 25, 2025. A valid offer can still affect eligibility for certain programs, including the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. The earlier article also gave the old 20-hour off-campus student work limit and treated attestation letters as universal. These statements were corrected on September 26, 2026.
Other routes include provincial nominations, family sponsorship and Quebec programs. Start with our pathway chooser, then confirm current requirements, fees and processing estimates directly with IRCC before applying.
General information only; not immigration or legal advice.
