Citizens of countries that require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada and who are already in Canada on a work or study permit face a common practical problem: if they travel outside Canada and want to return, they need a valid TRV (or eTA, for eTA-eligible nationalities) to board the flight back. A work or study permit alone does not serve as a TRV. Workers and students from TRV-required countries can apply for a TRV from inside Canada — without needing to travel to a Canadian visa application centre abroad. This page explains who can apply from inside Canada, how the application works, and the difference between a TRV and the work or study permit for travel purposes.

For current information on applying for a TRV from inside Canada, refer to the IRCC apply for a visitor visa inside Canada page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), s 190 — persons who may apply for a TRV within Canada; workers and students with valid permits may apply from inside Canada in prescribed circumstances
• IRPR, s 6(1) — foreign nationals must be authorised to enter Canada; a TRV (or eTA) is required for citizens of designated countries to board a flight to Canada
• IRCC: Visitor visas for workers and students — how to apply from inside Canada — canada.ca/trv-inside-canada
• IRCC: Temporary resident visa (visitor visa) — canada.ca/visitor-visa

Why workers and students need a TRV

Citizens of TRV-required countries who are in Canada on a work or study permit often do not think about their TRV status until they need to travel outside Canada. When they leave and want to return:

• The airline requires a valid TRV (or eTA) to board the flight to Canada
• The work or study permit is not a TRV and does not authorise boarding — it only authorises the holder to work or study once in Canada
• Without a valid TRV or eTA, the airline will not allow the traveller to board, and the traveller would need to obtain a TRV at a Canadian visa application centre in the country they are visiting before being able to return

Workers and students who are from TRV-required countries should check whether they have a valid TRV before travelling outside Canada. If they do not, they should apply for a TRV from inside Canada before travelling.

Who can apply from inside Canada

Applying for a TRV from inside Canada is available to foreign nationals who:

• Hold a valid work permit (or are authorised to work in Canada under other provisions), or hold a valid study permit
• Are nationals of a TRV-required country
• Are physically in Canada at the time of application

The application from inside Canada is not available to general visitors — it is specifically for workers and students whose valid permit status allows them to apply from within Canada. Visitor status holders who need a TRV extension typically apply for a visitor record extension instead.

TRV vs eTA — check which applies

Before applying for a TRV, workers and students should check whether their nationality now requires an eTA rather than a TRV. Several countries that previously required a TRV have moved to the eTA system. Citizens of eTA-eligible countries can apply for an eTA (online, usually approved in minutes) rather than a full TRV application. Key checks:

• The IRCC website maintains a current list of countries requiring a TRV vs those requiring an eTA vs those that require neither (visa-exempt)
• An eTA is linked to the passport electronically — it is valid for 5 years (or until the passport expires) and allows multiple entries
• eTA-eligible nationals who are already in Canada on a work or study permit and need to travel should apply for an eTA online before departing — it is much faster and cheaper than a TRV

For current information on whether a specific nationality requires a TRV or eTA, refer to the IRCC entry requirements by country page.

How to apply for a TRV from inside Canada

The application for a TRV from inside Canada is made through the IRCC online portal:

1. Log in to the IRCC secure account
2. Select "Canada" as the current country/territory of residence
3. Select "Temporary Resident Visa" as the application type
4. Complete the application form IMM 5257 (Application for Visitor Visa) — this is the same form used for applications made outside Canada; IRCC specifies that workers/students in Canada use this form even when applying from inside Canada
5. Upload supporting documents: valid passport, current work or study permit, proof of status, photographs, and any other documents required
6. Pay the application fee
7. Submit the application

After submission, a decision is typically made within the standard processing time for TRV applications. For current processing times, refer to the IRCC processing times page.

Single-entry vs multiple-entry TRV

A TRV may be issued as:

• Multiple-entry (preferred): allows the holder to enter and exit Canada multiple times during its validity (up to 10 years) — workers and students who travel frequently should request a multiple-entry TRV
• Single-entry: allows one entry to Canada — once used, the TRV expires even if the visa stamp shows a future validity date

The TRV validity period does not affect the authorized length of stay — it is the work or study permit that determines how long the holder may remain and work/study in Canada.

Flagpoling as an alternative

Some workers and students use flagpoling — crossing briefly to the US border and immediately re-entering Canada — as a way to have a new work or study permit issued or to obtain a TRV at the border. Flagpoling involves presenting at a Canadian port of entry for border processing. For information on flagpoling, see the flagpoling page.

The most common scenario where workers and students discover they need a TRV is when they have already left Canada and are at a foreign airport trying to board a return flight. Airlines are instructed by IRCC to check TRV requirements, and the airline will deny boarding to a TRV-required national without a valid visa. Applicants in this situation typically have to visit a Canadian visa application centre (VAC) in the country they are visiting — which may take days or weeks. The preventive approach is to apply for the TRV (or verify eTA validity) before leaving Canada. Workers and students from TRV-required countries who have never had a TRV in their passport (perhaps because their work or study permit was issued without requiring a TRV for their initial entry) are at the highest risk of overlooking this requirement. For current processing times inside Canada, the IMM 5257 form, and the country-specific TRV/eTA requirements, refer to the IRCC TRV from inside Canada page.