Canada business visa
There is no separate Canadian business visa for an Indian passport. Business travel runs on the visitor visa — a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) — the sticker placed in your passport that covers both tourism and business: attending meetings, conferences and trade fairs, and negotiating or signing contracts. No visa-on-arrival, no standalone business e-visa for Indian passport holders.
You apply online through IRCC, then give biometrics — fingerprints and a photograph — at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre in India, after which your passport goes in for the sticker. As a business visitor you must not enter the Canadian labour market, and each entry must be six months or less. Anything longer, or actual work in Canada, needs a work permit instead.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport holders travelling to Canada for short-term business — meetings, negotiations, conferences, trade fairs or seminars
- ✓Employees or executives visiting Canadian clients, partners or head office while remaining on their Indian employer's payroll
- ✓Business owners exploring opportunities, sourcing goods, or providing after-sales/warranty service tied to products sold by their company
- ✓Applicants who intend to leave Canada within six months and are not entering the Canadian labour market
- ✓Applicants holding an invitation from a Canadian host company, or an event code if the event is registered with IRCC
Visa options for Canada
Visitor visa (Temporary Resident Visa / TRV)
The sticker visa Indian citizens require for business travel to Canada; issued as single- or multiple-entry at the officer's discretion and used for meetings, conferences, trade fairs and other short business activity.
Business visitor (activity stream)
A visitor-visa holder whose purpose is international business — meetings, events, buying or selling goods, after-sales service — without entering the Canadian labour market. No work permit is needed for stays of six months or less.
eTA (air travel only, limited eligibility)
Indian citizens flying to Canada who currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years, may qualify for an electronic travel authorization instead of a TRV. Entry by land or sea still requires the visitor visa.
Documents typically required
- ✓Indian passport valid for the entire duration of stay, with at least one blank page
- ✓Completed IRCC online application and a recent digital photograph meeting IRCC specifications
- ✓Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) given at a VFS Global Visa Application Centre
- ✓Letter of invitation from the Canadian host company stating the purpose, dates and 24-hour contact details
- ✓Letter of support or assignment letter from your Indian employer/company on official letterhead
- ✓Proof of the business relationship: contracts, purchase orders, or service/warranty agreements where relevant
- ✓Event or conference registration/confirmation, plus the event code if the event is registered with IRCC
- ✓Proof of funds: recent bank statements, salary slips and income tax returns (ITR)
- ✓Evidence of ties to India and intent to return — employment, property, family or business obligations
- ✓Travel itinerary and proof of accommodation in Canada
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
Applications are filed online with IRCC; biometrics and passport submission are handled through VFS Global Visa Application Centres in India (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh and others). Government fees are CAD 100 for the visitor visa plus a CAD 85 biometrics fee (family maximum CAD 170), paid to IRCC. Since 6 November 2024 IRCC no longer issues 10-year multiple-entry visas automatically — the entry type and validity are now decided case by case.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests entirely with the Canadian visa officer at IRCC, and no one can promise an outcome. What we can do is assess your profile honestly and build the strongest possible application — correct documentation, a clearly evidenced business purpose, and well-supported ties to India. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have had a 97% success rate.
Do Indian citizens need a full visa for a business trip, or is there a visa-on-arrival or e-visa?
You need a full visitor visa (TRV) — the sticker placed in your passport — for business travel to Canada. There is no visa-on-arrival and no standalone business e-visa for Indians. One exception: if you are flying in and currently hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years, you may qualify for an eTA instead of the sticker visa. Arrive by land or sea, though, and the TRV is always required.
Do I need a work permit for meetings and conferences?
No. Attend meetings, conferences and trade fairs, or negotiate contracts — all while your Indian employer keeps paying you and you stay out of the Canadian labour market — and you need no work permit, provided your stay is six months or less.
How long can I stay, and how many times can I enter?
Each entry is usually granted for up to six months, with the final call made by the border officer on arrival. The visa itself may be single- or multiple-entry and valid for up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire — whichever comes first — at the officer's discretion.