Everything you need to know about the visitor record
If you are in Canada on a legal status like a work permit or a visitor status that is about to expire, you can stay in Canada legally, by applying for the visitor record. The application must be done before the current status expires.
First and foremost, one important thing that must be pointed out for IEC participants:
There is no maintained status between two IEC participations.
If you are in Canada under an IEC work permit like the Working Holiday, and you apply for another Working Holiday because your country allows this, then you will not have maintained status while you wait for the processing of the new IEC.
You must apply for visitor record if your current work permit expires soon. While the visitor record application is being processed, you are in maintained visitor status and can stay in the country legally as a visitor until a decision is made or until you activate a new work permit, whichever comes first.
You have to stop working on the day your work permit expires and can start working again when the new work permit is activated.
I would like to go on a road trip after the Working Holiday
Road trip time, yay! Yes, you can do a road trip to explore Canada after you finish the Working Holiday. If you would like to stay in Canada as a visitor after the Working Holiday, you must apply for a visitor record online and from within Canada. It is the easiest option to extend the stay. The good thing, the visitor record will be sent by mail to the address you provide in the application. You do not have to go to the border to activate it.
The Canadian government is very strict and always emphasizes that it is important to maintain legal status in Canada at all times. You have to apply for the visitor record before the expiry of the current status. Then after the current status expires, you are going to be in maintained visitor status and can stay in Canada legally until a decision is made.
Many third-party blogs or other travellers recommend to go to the US border to flagpole and get the visitor record there. Those blogs are outdated because this flagpoling option has been ended by the Canadian Government starting December 24, 2024.
What is a visitor record? What is the difference to a 'visitor visa'?
This is where the most confusion comes up. The terms have very different meanings and purposes.
Visitor record
A visitor record is a document that is issued to extend your stay WITHIN Canada.
A visitor record does not authorize re-entry to Canada. It is only a document for your stay within Canada.
A visitor record is an independent paper document (not placed in your passport).
What many don’t know, it is also a document to restrict your stay in Canada. For example if you travel to Canada as a tourist and the border officer isn’t convinced about your plans in Canada…. they can decide to shorten the stay from the typically allowed 6 months to any other shorter time. For example only 2 months. They will then issue a visitor record for the duration of the approved stay.
Visitor visa
A visitor visa is a document for citizens from visa-required countries. It means those travellers cannot apply for an eTA. They need to apply for a visitor visa BEFORE travelling to Canada. It is a more extensive application that involves a personal interview and you have to send in the passport via post to get the visa sticker placed in the passport.
A visitor visa can be valid for single-entry or multiple entry.
A visitor visa is a sticker that is placed in your passport.
Can I not just apply for a new eTA that costs only $7?
Applying for an eTA from within Canada will do nothing. An eTA is only an Electronic Travel Authorization to board a flight to Canada. Nothing more.
The eTA will not guarantee you any entry to Canada or will not allow you to stay in Canada. So, when you travel to Canada on an eTA, the border officers have to make a decision about your stay and length of stay.
When do I have to apply for the visitor record at the latest?
The government recommends applying for the visitor record at least 30 days before the current status expires. However, it is not mandatory, so you can wait until about 7 days before expiration at the latest, to give you the longest maintained visitor status. Especially if, for example, you are waiting for processing of another work permit.
If you submit the application only 2 days before expiration, you are still within the deadline but I would not recommend it, because the homepage of the government is very glitchy and crashes very often. If you do not submit the application on time, it can become very tight with the maintained status or you can even miss it.
What happens if I do not apply for the visitor record before the current status expires?
If the current status has expired, you are out of status (illegal) after the expiry date of the work permit and will need to apply for visitor restoration. It then costs $200 to restore the visitor status.
An overstay must be reported in all future applications and depending on how long you were in Canada illegally, that application can be refused with a letter that asks you to leave. NEVER should anyone risk being out of status.
Did you know that five countries share immigration data under the Five Eyes Alliance?
Those are: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It means an overstay in any of those countries must be reported in immigration applications like temporary work permit, study permit or permanent residency. Those countries know exactly where you were and how long you spent time in a country.
Also, as soon as you check in for a flight, your passport is scanned. As soon as you enter a country, (any country not just the ones mentioned), your passport is scanned. Just because there are no stamps, it doesn’t mean there is no immigration data (entry and exit).
How do I apply for the visitor record?
You can apply via the same GCKey account you used for your Working Holiday application. You can find an extra info post with help >> here <<
Why do I need to provide proof of financial support?
The processing agent will want to see if you have enough money that you can financially support yourself without working. They will also make their decision based on the amount of funds you can provide. The more the better. If you would like to stay another 6 months you should show at least $5000 in funds. They must be reflected on your bank account balance. Savings accounts are fine as long as the funds are not locked in investments. The funds must be readily available.
How long does it take to process the application?
You can view the current processing time >here< on the government’s official website. Usually around 3-4 months.
Can I extend the visitor record?
Yes, you can apply for a new visitor record before the current one expires. It gives you another maintained status until a decision is made on this new application.
Be aware, a second visitor record application could be refused because you become a risk and show you don’t want to leave Canada. You should prepare for this scenario where the visitor record is refused and the letter asks you to leave Canada.
What if the visitor record application is refused?
You will receive a letter that will tell you that you have to leave Canada by date xxx. At that moment your only option is to leave Canada or apply for the ‘visitor restoration’ within 90 days (cost $200). This can be done online in the same GCKey account.
Can I get the visitor record by e-mail?
No, you must provide a Canadian postal address to which the visitor record will be sent.
The visitor record is an official document that looks exactly like your colorful, shiny Working Holiday work permit. You must always keep this document with you and present it on request during checks (also e.g. during police checks). This document proves your legal status in Canada.
What if I am travelling? I can't wait for the visitor record.
You can’t get around providing a Canadian address in the application. They do not accept foreign addresses.
If you know you want to travel in the future, apply for the visitor record a lot earlier while you still live at the address. Remember, the processing of the application will take about 3 months. Another option is to provide an address from a friend or co-worker who then can FedEx the paper to your new location.
While travelling within Canada, you must have this paper on you at all times because it proves your legal status in Canada.
Can I leave and re enter Canada with the visitor record?
No, the visitor record is only to extend your stay within Canada as a visitor.
A visitor record does not authorize re-entry into Canada.
Furthermore, a visitor record or maintained status will become invalid as soon as you leave Canada. At the time of re entry a border officer will examine your situation and will allow you to enter Canada – or not. It can go smooth at the border, or they might not let you enter. The decision is solely at the discretion of the border officer.
When you travel to Canada as a tourist, you must convince a border officer of your travel plans in Canada and should be prepared to be asked for a travel itinerary, a return flight out of Canada and proof that you can support yourself financially.
If I want to re-enter Canada as a tourist, what do I need? A new eTA?
There is nothing you can apply for, that guarantees you re-entry. You travel with the existing eTA like any other tourist. Then you are at the mercy of the border officers.
Tip: A return flight within 6 months and enough funds will improve your chances at the border.
Can I leave Canada while the visitor record is still being processed?
Yes you can. But you will lose the maintained status as explained above.
Do I need health insurance for the visitor record?
While it is not a mandatory requirement for the visitor record, it is never a good idea to be in Canada without health insurance coverage. Please be aware, if you had provincial health care because you were in Canada on a work permit, this coverage will expire at the same date as your work permit.
Usually, IEC participants can extend their IEC health insurance for the time on the visitor record. Please contact your IEC health insurance provider.
If you are not able to extend, or don’t have a health insurance, you can look into Best Quote.
Best Quote
- For all IEC countries
- Available up to 24 months
- Already Travelling policy available
- Website that helps find the best coverage
Can I cancel my application if I returned home before the visitor record was processed?
Theoretically you can withdraw the application. I would not recommend doing it though. Why?
You should not cancel the application if you have profited from maintained status. It means you applied for the visitor record and the Working Holiday work permit expired so you could stay in Canada legally and use the maintained status after the work permit expiry.
If you withdraw an application it can be considered as if the application was never submitted, which means the time after the work permit expiry until your exit out of Canada was an “illegal” status or an “overstay”. This illegal status can cause problems if you want to travel to Canada at some point in the future or apply for other Canadian work permits or permanent residency.