Most foreign nationals must obtain a temporary resident visa before arriving in Canada to stay temporarily. Exceptions exist for people who are visa-exempt (like many nationalities), people with a temporary resident permit, or people who are authorized to re-enter Canada.
(1)7 (1) A foreign national may not enter Canada to remain on a temporary basis without first obtaining a temporary resident visa.
Amendment History (1)
7.01 (1) Despite subsection 7(1), a foreign national who is a citizen of a country listed in the table to this subsection and who is seeking to enter Canada by air may not enter Canada to remain on a temporary basis without first obtaining a temporary resident visa or an electronic travel authorization. TABLE Country Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Brazil Costa Rica Mexico Morocco Panama Philippines Seychelles St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Uruguay Marginal note: Application for electronic travel authorization — conditions (2) A foreign national referred to in subsection (1) may only make an application for an electronic travel authorization if they (a) have held a temporary resident visa at any time during the 10-year period immediately preceding the day on which they make their application; or (b) hold a valid United States nonimmigrant visa on the day on which they make their application.
7.1 (1) A foreign national referred to in paragraph 7(2)(a) who is exempt from the requirement to obtain a temporary resident visa and who is seeking to enter Canada by air to remain on a temporary basis is required to obtain an electronic travel authorization before entering Canada, unless they are exempt from that requirement under subsection (3). Marginal note: Holder of temporary resident visa (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a foreign national who holds a temporary resident visa. Marginal note: Exempt persons (3) The following persons are exempt from the requirement to obtain an electronic travel authorization: (a) Her Majesty in right of Canada and any member of the Royal Family; (b) a national of the United States or a person who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence; (c) a foreign national referred to in paragraph 190(2)(a); (d) a foreign national seeking to enter and remain in Canada solely (i) as a member of a crew of a means of transportation that may be used for transportation by air or to become a member of such a crew, or (ii) to transit through Canada after working, or to work, as a member of a crew of a means of transportation that may be used for transportation by air, if they possess a ticket for departure from Canada within 24 hours after their arrival in Canada; (e) a citizen of France who is a resident of St. Pierre and Miquelon who seeks to enter Canada directly from St. Pierre and Miquelon; and (f) a foreign national referred to in any of paragraphs 190(3)(b), (b.1), (c), (d), (f), (g) or (h).