People who are temporarily admitted to Canada and are expected to leave Canada at the end of the authorized period are called Temporary Residents. To qualify, they are required to convince a Visa officer that their visit is for temporary purpose only, that they have means to support themselves during their stay and that they will leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay. Also, that they have sufficient ties to their home country and thus enough motivation to return after temporary stay in Canada. A peculiar feature of Canadian policy is that the ultimate intention of the Temporary Resident to become a Permanent Resident (‘Dual intent’) does not exclude the person from being allowed into Canada.
Temporary Residents are classified into 3 subcategories, based on the purpose of their entry into Canada:
All temporary visas are highly discretionary in nature, meaning that there are no set requirements. The decisions are made based on the ‘gut’ feel of the assessing officer, once the facts of the case are reviewed.