Canada welcomes more than 35 million temporary residents (non-immigrants) each year. Unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country, individuals who wish to enter Canada for a temporary purpose, such as tourists, temporary foreign workers (work permits) and international students (study permits) must apply for and be granted a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV).
The TRV is a document issued by a Canadian Immigration Visa Office outside Canada, showing that the holder has satisfied the requirements for admission to Canada as a visitor. Temporary Resident Visas may be for single entry or multiple entries. As a general rule, tourists are admitted for a period of six months. You have a number of options when applying for permanent residence status. Read about these programs and decide which class suits you and your family best.