Digital nomad visa in Canada

How the program works

Under the program introduced in July 2023, digital nomads can additionally apply for a temporary work permit and stay in Canada for up to three more years if they find a job with a Canadian employer.

New IRCC instructions since May 26, 2026

On May 26, 2026 IRCC published dedicated instructions, 'Temporary residents: Digital nomads'. Formally it is still visitor status for up to six months, but the requirements are now more specific: you need to prove that all of your income comes from outside Canada (a foreign employer or foreign clients) and show sufficient funds to support your stay. There is still no official minimum income threshold. Family members do not get status automatically - each of them needs their own visitor status, study permit or work permit.

Application process

To apply, you need to provide fingerprints and attend an interview with a Canadian immigration officer. Processing can take from a few weeks to a year, depending on the applicant's country.

Who the nomad status suits

• Remote employees of foreign companies.
• The self-employed, if all clients are outside Canada.
• Those ready to stay up to 6 months per trip and then leave or change status.

Not suitable if you want to work for a Canadian company or take Canadian clients: that needs a work permit.

What it costs, item by item

US dollar amounts at European Central Bank rates of 05.10.2026, CAD 1.43 per US dollar, rounded up.

Documents and where to get them

• Passport and photos.
• Letter from the foreign employer confirming remote work paid from abroad; for the self-employed, contracts with foreign clients.
• Bank statements showing income and savings for the whole trip.
• Proof of ties to your home country: home, family, job to return to.
• Accommodation booking or lease in Canada.
• Health insurance.

Steps and timeline

1. Preparation, 2-3 weeks. Employer letter, statements, home-ties documents.
2. Online application for a visitor visa or eTA.
3. Biometrics at a visa centre.
4. Processing from a few weeks to several months, often longer for Russian citizens.
5. Entry. The border officer sets the stay, usually up to 6 months.
6. Extension by application from inside Canada before expiry.

Why applications are refused

• no proof that income is entirely from abroad;
• weak home ties: the officer doubts you will leave;
• insufficient funds for the stay;
• past overstays in Canada or elsewhere;
• contradictions between the form and the employer letter.

Family

Under the 2026 instructions family members do not get status automatically. Each needs their own visitor status, and school-age children who will study need a study permit. These are separate applications, fees and biometrics.

Taxes

Spend 183 days or more in Canada in a calendar year and the law deems you tax resident for the whole year, taxed on worldwide income: 14-33% federal plus provincial tax. So the nomad status is usually used for trips under six months. More on the Canada taxes page.

What next: staying in Canada

Visitor status itself does not lead to permanent residence. If you receive an offer from a Canadian employer during your stay, you can apply for a work permit under the general rules. The start-up visa for founders stopped taking new applications in 2026; see Canada start-up visa.

Comparison with other countries

Canada is easier on income but shorter on time and stricter on home-ties checks. For long remote stays in the Americas, Costa Rica or Mexico are more practical.

How to show ties to your home country

The officer decides whether you will leave after the trip. Documents showing life outside Canada help: owned or long-term rented home, family staying behind, a permanent employment contract, children's schooling, past trips to Canada, the US, the UK or the EU without breaches. The longer the planned trip, the stronger these ties must be. A return ticket is not mandatory, but describe your exit plan in a cover letter.

Healthcare and insurance

Visitors are not covered by provincial health plans, and care in Canada is expensive: an emergency room visit can cost thousands of Canadian dollars. Private insurance for the whole trip covering hospitalisation and evacuation is needed in practice, even if not required at filing. Attach it to the application as evidence of a thought-through plan.

What we do

We prepare the employer letter and statements so that foreign income is obvious, gather home-ties evidence, file the application, book biometrics and arrange status for each family member. We fix our fee in writing after a free consultation.

Every way to get residency in Canada

This is one route. All the other grounds for residency in Canada, with conditions, amounts in dollars and timelines, are compared on How to get residency in Canada in 2026: every route.

Visa conditions

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