eTA Holders and One-Year Stay Limits: Conflicting Guidance from Border Officers and IRCC

[jamespai829]

Hello,

I am Taiwanese and currently hold a valid eTA. My question is: how long can I stay in Canada in total within one year?

Here is my situation: I entered Canada in January 2024 and left in June 2024, staying for approximately 5 months. Afterward, I returned to Taiwan for work. Later, I re-entered Canada in November 2024 and have been staying here since.

On the IRCC website, I noticed that the information about the eTA does not mention any total time limit for staying in Canada within a year. The website only states that I can stay for a maximum of six months per visit.
IRCC website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html

However, after traveling to the United States for a few days, I drove back to Canada yesterday. A border officer told me that I should not stay in Canada for more than six months in total within a year and asked me many questions, including about my work, savings, plans for staying, and return date. It seemed they wanted to ensure that I had no intention of immigrating. In the end, the officer allowed me to enter Canada.

Today, I called IRCC again to inquire about the eTA regulations, and their customer service representative said my situation is fine. They also confirmed that there is no rule stating that I cannot stay in Canada for more than six months in total within one year. This conflicting information has left me confused. Which one is correct?

Additionally, I understand that border officers have the authority to determine how long I can stay in Canada. How can I confirm whether my allowed stay has been shortened this time? Nothing has been written on my passport, but I am unsure if the officer has made any notes in the system.

If I really violate the regulations, would this have any impact on me? For example, would it affect my ability to use the eTA to enter Canada again in the future or impact possible applications for work permits in the future?

Any information would be very helpful. Thank you.

 

[scylla]

Hello,

I am Taiwanese and currently hold a valid eTA. My question is: how long can I stay in Canada in total within one year?

Here is my situation: I entered Canada in January 2024 and left in June 2024, staying for approximately 5 months. Afterward, I returned to Taiwan for work. Later, I re-entered Canada in November 2024 and have been staying here since.

On the IRCC website, I noticed that the information about the eTA does not mention any total time limit for staying in Canada within a year. The website only states that I can stay for a maximum of six months per visit.
IRCC website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html

However, after traveling to the United States for a few days, I drove back to Canada yesterday. A border officer told me that I should not stay in Canada for more than six months in total within a year and asked me many questions, including about my work, savings, plans for staying, and return date. It seemed they wanted to ensure that I had no intention of immigrating. In the end, the officer allowed me to enter Canada.

Today, I called IRCC again to inquire about the eTA regulations, and their customer service representative said my situation is fine. They also confirmed that there is no rule stating that I cannot stay in Canada for more than six months in total within one year. This conflicting information has left me confused. Which one is correct?

Additionally, I understand that border officers have the authority to determine how long I can stay in Canada. How can I confirm whether my allowed stay has been shortened this time? Nothing has been written on my passport, but I am unsure if the officer has made any notes in the system.

If I really violate the regulations, would this have any impact on me? For example, would it affect my ability to use the eTA to enter Canada again in the future or impact possible applications for work permits in the future?

Any information would be very helpful. Thank you.

- There's no rule that limits you to 6 months in a calendar year
- If you were allowed into Canada for less than six months then to the best of my knowledge they would have stamped your passport.
- While there is no six month rule, you want to avoid making it look like you are using the eTA to essentially live in Canada. Yes, spending too much time in Canada can negatively impact future entities into Canada, approval of future eTAs and also work permits. As a general guideline, you should aim to spend more time outside of Canada than inside of Canada in any given 12 month period as a visitor.
- It's possible the officer added a note to your file regarding the amount of time you have been spending in Canada but no way to say for sure.

How much longer are you planning on visiting?

 

[jamespai829]

- There's no rule that limits you to 6 months in a calendar year
- If you were allowed into Canada for less than six months then to the best of my knowledge they would have stamped your passport.
- While there is no six month rule, you want to avoid making it look like you are using the eTA to essentially live in Canada. Yes, spending too much time in Canada can negatively impact future entities into Canada, approval of future eTAs and also work permits. As a general guideline, you should aim to spend more time outside of Canada than inside of Canada in any given 12 month period as a visitor.
- It's possible the officer added a note to your file regarding the amount of time you have been spending in Canada but no way to say for sure.

How much longer are you planning on visiting?

Thank you for your reply.

The border officer did not stamp my passport. When I previously entered by plane, I used the self-service kiosk without any questioning from the border officers. This time, when entering Canada by land from the U.S., the officer did not leave any record on my passport either.

I do not have a specific length of stay yet because the reason why I re-entered Canada again is that I found a job here in July. My employer is helping me apply for a work permit, and I originally expected to receive it by the end of November, which is why I re-entered Canada in mid-November. However, my work permit has not been approved yet. If I can't get my work permit until next May, I will still leave Canada within six months, or even earlier.

What would you suggest I do? Should I continue to wait for my work permit in Canada, or should I leave Canada?

 

[scylla]

Thank you for your reply.

The border officer did not stamp my passport. When I previously entered by plane, I used the self-service kiosk without any questioning from the border officers. This time, when entering Canada by land from the U.S., the officer did not leave any record on my passport either.

I do not have a specific length of stay yet because the reason why I re-entered Canada again is that I found a job here in July. My employer is helping me apply for a work permit, and I originally expected to receive it by the end of November, which is why I re-entered Canada in mid-November. However, my work permit has not been approved yet. If I can't get my work permit until next May, I will still leave Canada within six months, or even earlier.

What would you suggest I do? Should I continue to wait for my work permit in Canada, or should I leave Canada?

This is ultimately your call. It would have been better to have remained outside of Canada until you had an actual approved work permit.

 

[jamespai829]

This is ultimately your call. It would have been better to have remained outside of Canada until you had an actual approved work permit.

Ok. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Hello,

I am Taiwanese and currently hold a valid eTA. My question is: how long can I stay in Canada in total within one year?

Here is my situation: I entered Canada in January 2024 and left in June 2024, staying for approximately 5 months. Afterward, I returned to Taiwan for work. Later, I re-entered Canada in November 2024 and have been staying here since.

On the IRCC website, I noticed that the information about the eTA does not mention any total time limit for staying in Canada within a year. The website only states that I can stay for a maximum of six months per visit.
IRCC website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html

However, after traveling to the United States for a few days, I drove back to Canada yesterday. A border officer told me that I should not stay in Canada for more than six months in total within a year and asked me many questions, including about my work, savings, plans for staying, and return date. It seemed they wanted to ensure that I had no intention of immigrating. In the end, the officer allowed me to enter Canada.

Today, I called IRCC again to inquire about the eTA regulations, and their customer service representative said my situation is fine. They also confirmed that there is no rule stating that I cannot stay in Canada for more than six months in total within one year. This conflicting information has left me confused. Which one is correct?

Additionally, I understand that border officers have the authority to determine how long I can stay in Canada. How can I confirm whether my allowed stay has been shortened this time? Nothing has been written on my passport, but I am unsure if the officer has made any notes in the system.

If I really violate the regulations, would this have any impact on me? For example, would it affect my ability to use the eTA to enter Canada again in the future or impact possible applications for work permits in the future?

Any information would be very helpful. Thank you.

You’ve got to always remember. You’re a visitor in the country . Visitors typically don’t stay for months & a time . You’re waiting on a work permit , so the officer was correct in there suspicions. Genuine visitors don’t typically start scoping out job opportunities on visitors visas

How can someone pick up & go to another country for months ? Typically they have obligations. Like a job .
By staying for months , leaving , returning you’re now on their radar

And subsequently try to get a work permit on said visitor status

 

[jamespai829]

You’ve got to always remember. You’re a visitor in the country . Visitors typically don’t stay for months & a time . You’re waiting on a work permit , so the officer was correct in there suspicions. Genuine visitors don’t typically start scoping out job opportunities on visitors visas

How can someone pick up & go to another country for months ? Typically they have obligations. Like a job .
By staying for months , leaving , returning you’re now on their radar

And subsequently try to get a work permit on said visitor status

Thank you for your reply.

I see. When I first came to Canada in January, it was purely for tourism. I had just finished my job at the time and wanted to have a gap period. Later, I found Canada to be a great place, so I decided to try looking for job opportunities here, and I eventually found a job in July.

My re-entry to Canada this November was suggested by my employer. Initially, it was expected that my work permit would be approved by the end of November, so we thought arriving half a month early would help expedite subsequent administrative processes.

What course of action would you recommend? Should I leave Canada and re-enter only after my work permit is officially approved, or should I stay here until the permit is issued?

Thank you.