Is it possible to work in Canada on a tourist visa?

Posted by Avisa:   15.06.2020

As you know, Canada has one of the largest Ukrainian diasporas. Many of our compatriots try to immigrate there currently. If this topic is of interest you need to know that you can face an incredible number of obstacles to immigration.  Some of them are a low level of English or French, insufficient work experience or lack of higher education, minor financial opportunities, and unsuitable immigration programs. Therefore, these factors can cause desperation in people trying to travel to Canada for work using a tourist visa.

A tourist visa to Canada, or more precisely a Visitor visa is used for tourism, business, and visiting relatives or friends. Ukrainians are issued a visa to Canada for 10 years or until the end of the passport. On such a visa, you can stay in the country for no more than 180 days for one calendar year every time you enter the country. You are not allowed to work in Canada on this type of visa.

What is the danger of staying and working illegally in Canada?

Inevitably, you will face a multiple of difficulties that will probably worsen your quality of life:

• You will probably only be able to get a low-paid job
• As most landlords require all documents on legal stay in the country, it will be extremely difficult to rent a house
• It will be impossible to buy your own home
• You will not get government sponsored health insurance, so you will have to pay for all treatment from your own pocket. And as you know, medicine in Canada is not cheap
• You will not be able to obtain a local driver's license. You can only travel 3 months with your country's ID.
• You won't be allowed to open a bank account
• If your documents are checked by the local authorities, you may have problems up to deportation from the country, as well as a ban on entry into the country forever
• Anyone who knows about your illegal stay in the country can bring you to the appropriate authorities

You need to consider the consequences of illegally being in Canada or working illegally which could be waiting after you return home:

• If your visa is still valid it may be revoked
• The chances of persuading the Canadian Embassy to issue you another visa are zero. This restriction may apply to your close relatives, such as spouse and children as well
• Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia will be extremely reluctant to issue a non-immigrant visa to you.

The conclusion is that by violating the immigration rules of a country like Canada, there are no promising consequences, and only you decide to take such a risk or not.