Citizens of VWP (Visa Waiver Program) countries who want to travel to Canada by plane require an eTA or electronic travel authorization. The authorization is valid for a maximum of 5 years. During this time, you are allowed to leave the country and return as many times as you wish, provided you don’t stay for longer than 6 months at a time.

There are many reasons why someone might want to convert or extend their eTA once they are in the country. They might, for example, have to extend their stay if they face unforeseen delays or their plans change.

You could also have to change your eTA to something else, e.g. a visa, if you plan to change the reason for your stay in Canada, for example, if you decide to study or work in the country.

This article is to help people determine whether or not they qualify for such a conversion or extension.

Continue reading if you are currently in Canada on an eTA and you would like to to any of the following:

• modify the conditions related to our stay in the country
• a visitor record to allow you to stay in Canada for a longer time
• fix issues with your visitor status

Note: It is very important that you submit your application before your current eTA expires.

Determining whether you qualify or not

When you visit Canada on an eTA you are legally permitted to travel the country as a tourist, visit your friends and family members in that country, attend business meetings, etc. You are, however, not allowed to work or study fulltime in that country.

Provided that your current eTA is still valid, you are allowed to apply for your stay to be extended. Like with any other type of permit, you have to apply 30 days or longer before the eTA on which you are currently traveling in the country expires. Until a decision has been reached about your application, the conditions linked to your status remain exactly the same.

Every member of your family, e.g. your husband or wife, common-law partner or dependent kids who are currently in Canada on an eTA and who would like to stay longer in the country will have to apply for an extension of stay individually. All the required documentation must be submitted for each one and the relevant fees have to be paid.

Important: If your eTA has already expired or you failed to comply with all the conditions, e.g. you studied or worked in Canada on an eTA, you have in fact committed a crime under that country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

In that case, you could be ordered to attend an admissibility hearing, which could lead to your removal from the country.

If your eTA has already expired, you should not apply for an extension since you do not qualify. If you, however, would like to remain in Canada after the expiration of your visitor status, you can submit an application for ‘restoration of status’. This must be done within 3 months (90 days) of the offence.

If you would like to apply for restoration, you should submit the prescribed application form and provide full details of what caused you to commit such an offence. There isn’t any guarantee that you will be successful with the application.

If you are of the opinion that you qualify for an extension, you can proceed as follows:

• Make sure you have all the required documentation. If you apply online, you will get a personalized list of required documents.
• Pay the required fees.
• Complete the application forms truthfully and completely.
• Everything can be done online.

How long will it take before I get a decision about my application?

Your application will first be reviewed by the case processing center to determine whether you provided all the necessary information and documentation.

If the processing center rejects your application because it is incomplete, it will be as if you never submitted an application at all. You will, therefore, not be allowed to stay in Canada for a longer period or change the condition of your stay.

Should they decide that you provided everything that was required, the case processing center will send you one of the following:

• a new visitor record, study permit, work permit, or
• a letter explaining that your application has been unsuccessful or
• you will be notified that your application has now been transferred to one of the local Canada Immigration Centers for further consideration

Should your application be referred to a local office, this office will contact you to ask for additional clarification or information. You could also be requested to attend a personal interview. It could take as long as three months before they contact you.

Once you have provided the requested clarification and/or information to the local office, they will continue processing your application and let you know by mail about the outcome.

What will happen if my eTA should expire while I am still in Canada?

If this happens, you will have to immediately leave Canada and apply for a new eTA from outside the country.

What should I do if I am not certain whether or not I should convert or extend my eTA?

If you are not sure whether or not you have to convert or extend your eTA, the best is to contact the Canadian authorities for more clarity.

Additional information that should be helpful

The Canadian authorities run a website that has a lot of information about visas and eTAs. The URL is: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

There are quite a few private firms that provide visa and eTA application services as well. They specialize in assisting people like yourself with their applications and also provide support with any questions they might have.

What should I do if I entered Canada on an eTA and received a job offer while I am there?

An individual who visited Canada on an eTA and subsequently received a job offer while he or she is there will have to submit an application for a work permit. You are not allowed to work in the country on an eTA, so you will have to get a proper work permit if you want to legally accept employment.

To submit a work permit application, you should start by contacting the employer that offered you a job. They will then have to submit an application for an LMIA or Labor Market Impact Assessment to the Canadian authorities. Once the LIIA has been approved, your prospective new employer will be allowed to officially sponsor you for the work permit.

Please note that a work permit application can take a few months to be processed, so it is crucial to begin the process as early as possible. You must also take note that you have to meet a number of specific criteria before you will qualify for a work permit. For one, you should have a valid passport. You also should be able to speak either French or English or both. Furthermore, you should have the experience and skills that are necessary for the job.

If you are not certain whether or not you qualify for a work permit, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by contacting the Canadian authorities for more info.

Summary of the steps you have to take if you receive a job offer while visiting Canada as a tourist

1. Contact the firm where the job opening is and ask that they submit a LMIA or Labor Market Impact Assessment to the authorities.
2. Once they have an approved LMIA, the employer will be in a position to sponsor you for the much coveted work permit.
3. You can then proceed to submit an online application for the work permit or you can visit a Canadian visa office to do so.
4. You will have to provide appropriate documentation in support of your application, for example, your work experience and educational certificates plus a letter from your prospective new employer which confirms that they have in fact offered you a position.

How long it will take to process the work permit application will vary depending on the circumstances of the applicant and the type of work permit he or she is applying for. A typical waiting period is a few weeks or months.

Only once you have an approved work permit in your hands will you be allowed to legally take up employment in Canada.

If I am in Canada on an eTA and apply for a job, what should I do if my eTA expires before I hear about the job?

If you are visiting Canada on a eTA and while you are there decide to apply for a job, and while you are waiting to hear whether your application has been successful or not your eTA expires, you will have to leave the country and apply for a new eTA from outside the country. You should never start working in Canada without first having an approved work permit – and you are not allowed to apply for one from within the country once your eTA has expired.

The steps you need to take if your eTA expires before you hear about the job:

• Leave Canada as soon as possible.
• You can leave by plane, car, or train – as long as you cross the border.
• Apply for a new eTA online.
• Once you have this, you are allowed to go back to Canada to apply for the work permit.

We have to say this again: if you should be caught working in the country without having a valid work permit, you could get a fine or you might be deported from Canada.