Canada’s 120-Day Work Permit Exemption for Researchers: Eligibility, Documents and Entry Rules

Canada’s 120-day work permit exemption for researchers allows eligible foreign nationals to carry out short-term research at a publicly funded Canadian degree-granting institution or its affiliated research institution without obtaining a work permit. It is not a general permission to take any job in Canada, and it does not remove the need to meet applicable entry and admissibility requirements. (IRCC public policy)

The opportunity can be valuable for established researchers and certain visiting undergraduate or graduate students. But the host institution, actual research duties, value of the researcher’s contribution, previous use of the policy and length of the visit all matter; a university invitation alone is not a substitute for establishing eligibility. (IRCC researcher instructions)

This guide explains the federal rules and uses Western University’s Visiting Research Only process as a practical institutional example. Federal requirements and Western-specific procedures are identified separately so that a local university process is not mistaken for a rule that applies throughout Canada.

At a glance: what the exemption does

The researcher exemption is part of the public policy facilitating entry into Canada for short-term work, associated with the Global Skills Strategy. The version of the public policy effective November 16, 2022 superseded the 2017 policy; this is a September 2026 guide to an existing pathway, not an announcement of a newly created exemption. (IRCC public policy)

• Maximum period: Up to 120 consecutive calendar days, starting when the exemption is granted, not 120 working days. (IRCC researcher instructions)
• Eligible host: A publicly funded Canadian degree-granting institution at college or university level, or its affiliated research institution. (IRCC researcher instructions)
• Eligible activity: A research position in which the person has a significant role or adds value to the project. (IRCC public policy)
• Repeat-use restriction: The 120-day route requires that the person has not been granted an exemption under this public policy in the preceding 12 months. (IRCC public policy)
• Initial request: IRCC says a person already in Canada cannot make an initial application for this exemption from inside Canada. (IRCC researcher instructions)
• Entry documents: A visa or eTA may still be required, depending on the traveller’s circumstances; eligibility for the exemption must be demonstrated on arrival. (IRCC Global Skills Strategy overview)

VGIS planning point: Before buying tickets, the researcher and host should agree on the research scope, entry date, research end date, funding, supporting evidence and an alternative plan if the project may exceed the permitted period.

Who qualifies for the 120-day work permit exemption?

The public policy identifies four central conditions for the researcher route: an offer from a qualifying institution; an intention to conduct research for no more than 120 consecutive days; a significant role in or contribution to the project; and no exemption under the policy in the preceding 12 months. When requested by an officer at entry, the applicant must produce written institutional confirmation describing the work and its duration. (IRCC public policy)

IRCC’s operational instructions add useful detail about the assessment. The offer must identify a research position and explain that the work is primarily research, while supporting documents should describe duties, the National Occupational Classification code and the employment start and end dates. (IRCC researcher instructions)

The applicant also needs sufficient evidence of the education and experience required to perform the work. Examples in IRCC’s instructions include transcripts, diplomas or certificates and evidence of the significant role or value the person will add to the project. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Our recommendation: Avoid a generic letter that says only “visiting scholar” or “research intern.” Explain what the person will actually do, why their background suits those duties and what contribution the Canadian project expects.

Which institutions can host an exempt researcher?

The host must be a publicly funded Canadian degree-granting institution or its affiliated research institution; IRCC’s instructions cover qualifying institutions at both college and university level. IRCC provides a list of institutions but expressly says that the list is not exhaustive. (IRCC researcher instructions)

An affiliated research institution may operate within a university or have an arm’s-length relationship with it. IRCC’s examples include university-affiliated health research institutes, and its guidance emphasizes a research mandate, qualified research staff and research facilities; institutions that do not conduct research do not qualify for this exemption. (IRCC researcher instructions)

VGIS analysis: A commercial laboratory, consulting business or private company should not assume that an informal university connection establishes the necessary affiliation. If an affiliated institute is making the offer, obtain a clear explanation and supporting evidence of its relationship with the qualifying institution.

Do not treat a school’s appearance on an unrelated immigration list as the complete eligibility test. The offer, institutional status, research activity and applicant’s contribution must be assessed together against this policy.

Can visiting undergraduate and graduate students qualify?

Yes, potentially. IRCC specifically recognizes that undergraduate and graduate students may come to conduct research with Canadian faculty at degree-granting institutions or their affiliated research institutions, provided they satisfy the exemption’s eligibility criteria. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Student status is therefore neither an automatic qualification nor an automatic exclusion. IRCC’s significant-contribution assessment considers academic excellence or expertise related to the work and whether the proposed role reflects the person’s experience, expertise and contribution to the project. (IRCC researcher instructions)

For a visiting student, a persuasive file should explain the research question, proposed duties, relevant methods or technical skills, supervision arrangements and connection to the student’s existing work. This is a recommended evidence approach, not a separate statutory checklist.

The exemption concerns authorization for qualifying research work. It should not be read as blanket authorization to enrol in any Canadian academic program; if the visit also involves coursework or a separate program of study, assess that activity independently before travel.

What should the invitation and supporting documents contain?

The core institutional confirmation should describe the research duties and activities, occupation’s NOC code, and start and end dates. The applicant must also provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate the qualifications and meaningful contribution required for the proposed work. (IRCC researcher instructions)

For an organized application and entry package, we recommend addressing the following points:

• Host identity: Full institutional name, research unit, supervisor and contact information, with an explanation of an affiliated institute’s relationship where relevant.
• Research scope: Project description, the actual tasks to be performed and why the work is primarily research.
• Duration: Proposed entry date and research dates, checked against the 120-consecutive-day limit rather than a working-day calculation.
• Contribution: Why this researcher was selected and how their experience, academic work or technical knowledge adds value.
• Qualifications: Relevant academic records, certificates, CV and other appropriate evidence of experience.
• Funding and logistics: Who will fund the visit, accommodation and travel, plus any host compensation or scholarship arrangements.
• Prior exemption history: Dates and records of previous 15-day, 30-day or 120-day exemptions under the same public policy.
• Travel and status documents: Passport, applicable visa or eTA, and evidence relevant to the proposed temporary stay.

This consolidated list combines IRCC’s documentary requirements with practical file-preparation recommendations; it is not a claim that every listed item is mandatory in every case. The institution and applicant should tailor the package to the facts rather than submitting unrelated material.

IRCC also recognizes that acceptable evidence may include written confirmation from an organization coordinating the selection and hiring of researchers, with Mitacs given as an example. Such confirmation still needs to support the applicable eligibility criteria; a program name alone is not the exemption. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Western University: an institutional example, not the national rule

Western’s guidance applies specifically to its Visiting Research Only students. It requires the university’s general visiting-student criteria as well as qualifying research, a significant contribution, appropriate funding and a visit within the relevant duration and prior-use limits. (Western University guidance)

The Western process describes collaborative research or research training for a student’s home-institution thesis or dissertation on a complementary topic. It also specifies funding arrangements and permits the student’s own savings or funding to cover a portion of the visit. These are requirements of the Western process described on its page, not a universal federal rule that every exempt researcher must be writing a thesis or have the same funding structure. (Western University guidance)

Western’s published workflow includes:

• Research-security assessment: The host supervisor addresses research-security concerns and consults the relevant university office where needed.
• Student documents: The visiting-student plan and home-institution letter are collected.
• Institutional approvals: The invitation and relevant forms receive the required chair or supervisor signatures.
• International-office review: Western International assesses the package and confirms whether revisions are needed before the invitation is released.
• Travel instructions: The student receives the invitation and instructions for the appropriate immigration documents.
• Arrival and registration: The student completes the applicable arrival, registration, orientation and fee processes.

These steps are summarized from Western’s institutional instructions. Western also distinguishes internal university forms from the invitation sent to the student; its page says that the research plan and fee-authorization form are internal documents that the student does not require for that purpose. (Western University guidance)

VGIS planning point: Researchers visiting another institution should ask that institution’s international or immigration office for its own process. Do not use Western’s forms or imply Western approval for an unrelated host.

How are the 120 days counted?

IRCC says the authorized period starts on the date the exemption is granted and is counted consecutively, whether or not the person is actually working in Canada. Time spent outside Canada after that date does not extend the exemption period. (IRCC researcher instructions)

For example, if the exemption is granted on day 1 and research begins on day 8, the first seven calendar days have already elapsed. If the researcher later leaves Canada for a week, that week does not get added to the end; these examples apply IRCC’s consecutive-day rule rather than describing additional allowances. (IRCC researcher instructions)

The key planning mistake is to work backwards only from the laboratory schedule. Instead, compare the date the exemption will be granted with the entire intended research period, including any arrival buffer and intervening travel.

The authorized stay and the authorized work period are separate. IRCC explains that someone admitted as a visitor for six months may be able to remain until the end of that authorized stay, but cannot continue working after the exemption period unless otherwise authorized. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Can the researcher leave and re-enter Canada?

IRCC allows departure and re-entry during the same consecutive 120-day period. On re-entry, the border officer must be satisfied that the period has not expired and that the person remains admissible; the trip does not create a fresh 120-day entitlement. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Keep the original visitor record, institutional confirmation and travel history available when returning. That is a practical recommendation to help demonstrate the continuing basis for the visit, not a guarantee of admission.

If the project, host, travel document or intended activities have changed, resolve those changes before travelling. A previous grant of the exemption should not be treated as permission to perform work that no longer meets the researcher conditions.

What if there is more than one host institution?

The exemption attaches to the person, not the employer. IRCC permits work for more than one employer within the same period if the researcher supplies documentary evidence showing that the eligibility criteria are met for both institutions. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Example: A researcher plans to work at one qualifying university and then collaborate at a second qualifying institution before the original period ends. The file should document both arrangements; moving to the second host does not restart the 120-day clock. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Do not interpret this flexibility as an open work permit. Unrelated employment, or work for a host that does not qualify, is not brought within this policy merely because the person originally entered as an exempt researcher.

Repeat visits and the 15-day and 30-day exemptions

The same public policy contains separate routes for short-term work in TEER 0 or 1 occupations. Those routes allow up to 15 consecutive days with a six-month prior-use restriction, or up to 30 consecutive days with a 12-month prior-use restriction; the researcher route has its own institutional and research conditions. (IRCC public policy)

The comparison reflects the conditions in IRCC’s public policy. It does not authorize combining the periods into one continuous research visit.

IRCC’s researcher instructions specifically explain that, after a 120-day exemption, a subsequent 120-day exemption may be granted only if no short-term exemption has been granted in the last 12 months. A 15-day exemption may become available once six months have elapsed since the 120-day exemption was granted, and a 30-day exemption once 12 months have elapsed, provided the relevant conditions are met. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Important: Count from the date the earlier exemption was granted, not simply from the date the earlier project ended. Disclose previous use of all relevant short-term exemptions rather than considering the researcher category in isolation.

The operational page contains a general eligibility bullet referring to “6 or 12 months.” For a new 120-day researcher exemption, read that alongside the specific 12-month condition in the public policy and the page’s detailed subsequent-exemptions instructions; it should not be taken as a six-month renewal rule for researchers. (IRCC public policy; IRCC researcher instructions)

Do you still need a visitor visa or eTA?

Work-permit exemption and permission to travel to Canada are separate questions. IRCC’s Global Skills Strategy guidance says eligible workers may still need a visa or eTA and must prove their eligibility for the work exemption when they arrive. (IRCC Global Skills Strategy overview)

Use IRCC’s current entry-document guidance rather than assuming that every foreign researcher needs the same document. In general, many visa-exempt travellers need an eTA for air travel, visa-required travellers need a visitor visa, and some citizens of selected visa-required countries may qualify for an eTA when travelling by air and meeting the applicable conditions; U.S. citizens and U.S. lawful permanent residents have separate exemptions and document requirements. (IRCC eTA eligibility)

Western’s page simplifies this distinction by saying only nationals of visa-exempt countries may apply for an eTA. The current IRCC page expressly recognizes the additional category of eligible travellers from selected visa-required countries, so the federal travel-document guidance should be checked for the individual traveller. (Western University guidance; IRCC eTA eligibility)

The researcher policy is not limited to a published list of participating nationalities. It sets eligibility conditions for foreign nationals, while leaving other applicable admissibility and selection requirements in place; nationality and immigration status remain relevant to travel documentation and the individual entry assessment. (IRCC public policy)

The visitor record and Social Insurance Number

When a border officer determines that the person qualifies, IRCC’s instructions request that the entry be documented with a visitor record. If one is not proactively issued, the foreign national may request it. (IRCC researcher instructions)

The instructions specify the remark “authorized to work in Canada as a researcher for 120 days.” A visitor record recording authorization to work without a permit helps Service Canada process a Social Insurance Number application and may be needed for the person to be paid by the host. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Before leaving the inspection area, check the document for obvious discrepancies and ask the officer about missing authorization wording or unclear dates. After arrival, keep copies for the institution’s international office, registration or payroll team as appropriate; these are practical precautions, not a substitute for meeting Service Canada’s own documentary requirements.

A visitor record is not the same thing as a work permit. In this route, it records the person’s temporary-resident conditions and the work-permit-exempt research authorization described by IRCC. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Can the exemption be extended or converted inside Canada?

Do not plan to “renew” the exemption as though it were a work permit. IRCC states that these researchers do not hold work permits, so the regulations governing work-permit renewals do not apply; work cannot continue beyond the exempt period unless the person has another authorization. (IRCC researcher instructions)

IRCC also says people already in Canada cannot make an initial application for this exemption from inside Canada. Its researcher instructions state that these foreign nationals must submit initial work-permit applications online outside Canada; any separate eligibility to apply from within Canada needs its own legal assessment and should not be assumed from this exemption. (IRCC researcher instructions)

VGIS recommendation: If the intended project is likely to exceed 120 days, assess an appropriate work-permit route before travel instead of relying on an extension that this exemption does not provide. Similarly, a visitor-status extension should not be treated as additional permission to perform research work.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using a generic invitation: A title alone does not explain the qualifying host, research duties, duration or significant contribution.
• Counting working days: Weekends, holidays and time abroad do not pause the consecutive period.
• Ignoring earlier exemptions: Previous 15-day or 30-day use can be relevant to a later researcher request.
• Assuming every internship qualifies: The actual research activity and the person’s contribution must satisfy the criteria.
• Treating a second host as a reset: Multiple qualifying hosts can fit within one period, not successive new periods.
• Confusing visitor stay with permission to work: The authorized stay may outlast the research authorization.
• Copying a university process as federal law: Institutional forms, funding arrangements and research-security procedures may differ.

These cautions follow the distinctions in IRCC’s researcher instructions and Western’s institutional guidance. An accurate letter and realistic timeline are more valuable than an application assembled around a label that does not match the proposed activities.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 120-day researcher exemption a work permit?

No. Eligible researchers can work without a work permit under the public policy, while a visitor record can document their entry and research-work authorization. It is important not to confuse that record with a work permit. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Does the researcher route require a TEER 0 or 1 job?

The public policy expressly applies the TEER 0 or 1 condition to the 15-day and 30-day routes. The 120-day researcher route instead sets out the qualifying-institution, research, contribution and previous-use conditions; IRCC’s supporting-document instructions nevertheless request the occupation’s NOC code. (IRCC public policy; IRCC researcher instructions)

Can undergraduate or graduate students use it?

Potentially, yes. IRCC expressly recognizes qualifying undergraduate and graduate researchers, but they must still meet the criteria and demonstrate the relevant contribution to the project. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Can a researcher be paid by a Canadian host?

IRCC’s guidance contemplates payment by the employer and explains the role of the visitor record in obtaining a SIN. Payment does not eliminate the need to satisfy the exemption conditions or the host’s applicable payroll and institutional procedures. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Does leaving Canada pause the 120-day period?

No. The period runs consecutively from the date the exemption is granted, including time spent outside Canada. Re-entry during that period does not create a new 120-day allowance. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Can a person already visiting Canada start using the exemption?

Not through an initial application made from inside Canada: IRCC expressly says that is not available. Obtain advice before changing activities or making travel plans, rather than assuming visitor status already authorizes qualifying research. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Can two universities each provide 120 days?

No. The exemption applies to the researcher, not separately to each employer. Both institutions must meet the criteria, and the work remains within the same authorized period. (IRCC researcher instructions)

Is this a guaranteed route to permanent residence?

No permanent-residence entitlement is created by this short-term work policy. It grants specified temporary work exemptions to eligible foreign nationals while leaving other applicable requirements in place; any future immigration pathway needs a separate assessment. (IRCC public policy)

Plan the research visit before the travel booking

VG Immigration Services Inc. can help assess whether the proposed activities fit the researcher exemption, identify evidence gaps and distinguish the research-work authorization from travel-document and temporary-status requirements. The objective is a consistent file: the invitation, qualifications, funding, travel plans and proposed duties should all describe the same genuine visit.

For related reading, see our guide to the separate academic examiner work-permit exemption. You can also learn about Dimple Verma’s professional background before arranging an assessment.

Book a Consultation to discuss your research visit and the documents needed for your circumstances.

Information checked September 18, 2026. This article provides general information, not an assurance of admission or individualized advice; requirements and institutional procedures can change.

VG Immigration Services Inc. | Dimple Verma, RCIC-IRB R708308 | vgis.ca