Changing your status to a visitor or renewing your status as a visitor

Visitor status in Canada allows individuals to enter and stay in the country for a temporary period, generally up to 6 months, for purposes other than employment or long-term study. Visitors may come for tourism, visiting family or friends, or for short-term business activities. If your work permit or study permit is set to expire and you wish to remain in Canada legally, you will need to apply to change your status to a visitor. This can be done by making an application for a Visitor Record, which is a document verifying your status as a visitor. Similarly, if you are in Canada as a Visitor, and wish to continue to stay in Canada without having to exit and re-enter, you can apply to extend your stay.