A visa and a permit are both documents that grant individuals particular legal authorizations, but they differ in their purpose, and the privileges they confer.
Let's break it down.
A visa is a counterfoil - commonly referred to as a stamp - that is affixed to a passport, granting an individual permission to travel to Canada for a specific purpose. They are typically obtained before the individual travels, and they typically specify the purpose of the visit, such as tourism, business, work, or study.
The dates on the counterfoil are the inclusive dates you must travel to Canada between. They do not determine the length of time you can stay in Canada, nor do they reflect the date you have to leave Canada.
Visas are issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), they allow you to travel to Canada and enter Canada. A visa does not guarantee that you will be allowed to enter Canada. Note that the final decision on whether a person can enter Canada rests with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISAS?
Canada issues its visas based on the nature of your travel. For example, if you are visiting Canada you will receive a V-1; if you are coming to Canada to Study or Work, you will receive a S-1 or W-1 respectively.
If the visa is a single entry visa, then once you have travelled to Canada it can no longer be used for travel. However, if you have been issued a multiple entry visa, then you can travel as many times as you want between the validity dates.
SO IF THAT'S A VISA...THEN WHAT IS A PERMIT?
When you travel to Canada to study or work, you will be issued a study or work permit. As the name implies, the permit is your authorization to conduct particular activity after you have been allowed to enter.
The permit is printed on a separate piece of paper and may or may not have your photo on it. If it is your first permit, you will receive it when you enter for the first time. Otherwise, you may receive it by mail.
The type of permit you have will tell you what you're allowed to do in Canada, and the information on the permit tells you the conditions under which you can do it. Unlike the visa, the expiry date of the permit is the date you must leave Canada, or apply to extend your stay.
On the bottom on EVERY permit, you will see the phrase "DOES NOT AUTHORIZE RE-ENTRY". The fact that you have been authorized to study or work while inside Canada does not guarantee that you will be allowed to re-enter a second time. It is important to remember that each entry is considered a new examination.
Although we have focused on Study and Work Permits, there are other permits, such as Temporary Resident Permits or Visitor Records and other visas include Transit Visas, Immigrant Visas or Business Visitor Visas.
In summary, a visa allows you to travel to Canada, a permit allows you to carry on an activity once you are allowed to enter.
So there you have it!
If you need to more information on visas, study permits, work permits or extending your stay, contact us!
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