Glossary
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) uses terms and abbreviations that can be hard to understand. This glossary contains some of the most commonly used terms. These are not legal definitions; they are based on IRCC’s glossary and expanded upon by Lighthouse Immigration Law.
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Taxation year
Taxation years are the same as calendar years (January 1 to December 31). To be eligible for an adult grant of citizenship, you must have met your personal income tax filing obligations in 3 taxation years that are fully or partially within the 5 years immediately before the date you apply.
Example:
You apply for an adult grant of citizenship on June 1, 2019. The taxation years that fall fully or partially within the 5 years immediately before the date of application are 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014. 2019 cannot be used, as you would not yet have filed taxes for 2019.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
This program allows employers to hire foreign workers to fill short-term labour and skill shortages when no Canadians are available to do the job. A Labour Market Impact Assessment is needed to hire through this program.
Foreign workers hired as part of this program are referred to as temporary foreign workers. They may get a work permit only after a Labour Market Impact Assessment has concluded that no Canadians are available to do the job.
Temporary resident
Related terms:
Visitor
Tourist
A foreign national who is in Canada legally for a short period. Temporary residents include students, foreign workers and visitors, such as tourists.
Temporary resident documents
Documents issued to allow a person to visit, work in or study in Canada for a specific period. Temporary resident documents have an expiry date.
Examples of temporary resident documents are study permits, work permits and visitor records.
Temporary resident permit
A permit that may be granted in exceptional circumstances to a person who does not meet the requirements of Canada’s immigration law to enter or remain temporarily in Canada.
Temporary resident visa
Related term:
Tourist visa
An official counterfoil document issued by a visa office abroad that is placed in a person’s passport to show that he or she has met the requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident (a visitor, student or worker). A counterfoil is a specially designed sticker on which missions abroad print visa information.
Informally known as a visitor or tourist visa, the TRV may be issued for single or multiple entries to Canada.
Transit visa
A temporary resident visa issued to people travelling through Canada to another country. There is no fee if the traveller will be in Canada for less than 48 hours. To obtain this visa, travellers must provide proof of their travel plans from their transportation company or travel agent.
Travel document
An identity document issued by a government or an international organization (such as the United Nations). It contains a person’s photograph and personal information, and allows that person to travel between countries.
See Passport.
Tuition
Tuition is the cost or fee for instruction at a private institution (school), university, or college.
U.S. passport card
A wallet-sized travel document that U.S. citizens can use to enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports of entry.
Unauthorized Representatives
Related terms:
Authorized representative
Individuals who charge a fee or receive some form of compensation (direct or not) and who are not members in good standing of an accredited regulatory body are considered to be unauthorized representatives.
Unemployed
Unemployed means that you do not have a job at this time but that you are actively seeking one.