The pandemic brought everything to a pause but it is time to go back and resume the life we had before with care and caution. Event planners and organizers are already preparing to organize in-person conferences and conventions in the coming year.
Canada allows tourists as U.S.citizens and permanent residents in the country. The international borders are expected to open by September 7th for only those who are fully vaccinated. Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau stated that the border will remain close for unvaccinated non-essential travelers.
It is the federal government that decides upon public health measures for international travelers. Although, the provinces have the liberty to set their public health measures following the coronavirus situation around their province.
For coming to Canada you must go through all the current measures implied by the government in the region.
You can also download the checklist for the documents that are needed to cross the Canadian border from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) website.
Whether you have a visitor visa, a work permit or are currently overcoming criminal inadmissibility here’s a few things that you need to know
Separate documents for both attendees and presenters
For anyone who wants to come to Canada with the purpose to attend a conference or a convention, needs authorization from the government. eTA and visitor’s visa are the two such documents that will prove it. A U.S. citizen doesn’t need a work permit, he/she will get authorized at the border itself.
eTA is the abbreviation for electronic travel authorization. To attain an eTA you just need to fill an online application. Each application costs around $7 CAD. In most cases, an eTA is granted within few minutes of applying. While for some it may take days to process. The eTA is valid for five years. It allows multiple entries to Canada and an individual to stay up to six months.
Applying for an eTA is limited to only U.S. permanent residents or a citizen from the listed country. As of now, about sixty countries are eligible for eTA. Some of the countries on the list are France, Australia, and the U.K.
Temporary Resident Visa: much like its name is a visitor’s visa. The validity of a TRV remains for six months. However, the validity is adjustable. Just like eTA, you can also apply for a temporary resident visa online.
For anyone who comes to Canada for four or five days for a work conference, also needs authorization from the Canadian government. They do not require a work permit but will still need a visitor’s visa or eTA, depending upon the country they are coming from. They will be considered as a business visitor.
Crossing border with a criminal record
Traveling to Canada might be difficult for those who have a criminal record. That being said, it differs from person to person. Several factors come in line to determine if a person with a criminal record is inadmissible in Canada or not; they are:
The kind and the number of crimes committed by the person
- Imprisonment sentence duration, if any;
- Time frame since the completion of the sentence (jail probation, fine, etc.)
- Here are three solutions that will help you find a way to overcome inadmissibility to Canada:
Temporary Resident Permit: If a person is inadmissible because of some serious criminal charges, and it has been less than five years since the completion of the sentence. TRP is the only option to enter Canada. It can either last for a day or stretch up to three years. It can be issued for one-time use or for multiple entries too. The applicant is required to provide a compelling reason to come to Canada. They must also confirm that their visit will not involve any risk or disruption.
Criminal Rehabilitation: This process converts those who were inadmissible in Canada before to become permanently admissible. The candidate does not need to re-apply for rehabilitation every time they visit Canada. Some people apply for individual rehabilitation. This option is only available to people who have to complete their imprisonment sentence and it has been five years or more since. After ten years of completing their sentence, the candidate becomes eligible for deemed rehabilitation.
Legal Opinion Letter: A legal opinion letter is constructed by a lawyer. It elaborates upon the candidate’s criminal record and its impact. A legal opinion letter voices out the candidate. It debates on why he/she is not admissible to Canada. It can also support a candidate’s reason as to why they deserve a TRP or rehabilitation.
A legal opinion letter is best for those who have been charged with a crime but have not been convicted yet. It graciously explains to the legal department about the candidate’s situation.
