Canada visa options for Spain passport holders
Tourist / short stay
Electronic travel authorisation (eTA)
Apply online for a quick travel authorisation before you go.
Visa types & longer-stay routes for Canada
Foreign nationals visiting, working, studying or immigrating to Canada. Visa-exempt nationals generally need an eTA to fly; visa-required nationals need a Temporary Resident Visa; US citizens are exempt from both.
- Tourist
Tourist / short stay (eTA or visitor visa)
Up to 6 months per entry (up to ~1 year at officer discretion since Jan 2026); eTA valid up to 5 years
- Insurance
- Recommended— visitors aren't covered by provincial health; private cover advised
- Good for
- Tourists and family visits
- Requirement
- Valid passport + eTA (CAD 7) for air travel if visa-exempt, or a Temporary Resident Visa
- Business
Business visitor
Up to 6 months; no work permit required
- Insurance
- Recommended— private medical/travel cover advised
- Good for
- Meetings, conferences and trade shows without entering the Canadian labour market
- Requirement
- Same entry document as a visitor; clear business purpose, foreign-based employer
- Work
Work permit (employer-specific, LMIA-based)
Tied to the job offer / LMIA validity
- Insurance
- Recommended— provinces may impose a public-health waiting period; private cover often needed initially
- Good for
- Foreign workers with a Canadian job offer
- Requirement
- Job offer supported by a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment
- Work
International Experience Canada (working holiday)
Typically 12–24 months
- Insurance
- Required— private health insurance covering medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for the full permit
- Good for
- Youth (~18–35) from countries with a youth-mobility agreement
- Requirement
- Citizenship of a partner country; Working Holiday is an open permit (no job offer)
- Study
Study permit
Length of the program plus ~90 days
- Insurance
- Required/Required — coverage rules vary by province; some require a private/university plan
- Good for
- Students accepted at a Designated Learning Institution
- Requirement
- Letter of acceptance, proof of funds (~CAD 22,895/yr single, outside Quebec), and usually a Provincial Attestation Letter
- Digital nomad
Digital nomad (remote work on visitor status)
Up to 6 months on visitor status; no dedicated nomad visa
- Insurance
- Recommended— no provincial health coverage on visitor status; private cover advised
- Good for
- Remote workers for a foreign employer/clients (2024 Tech Talent Strategy)
- Requirement
- Enter as a visitor; work must be for a foreign employer and not enter the Canadian labour market
- Residence
Permanent residence — Express Entry (immigration)
Permanent residence
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required to apply — provincial public health on landing (waiting period in some provinces)
- Good for
- Skilled workers immigrating permanently (federal economic programs)
- Requirement
- Eligibility under Federal Skilled Worker / Canadian Experience Class / Trades; ranked on the CRS; Provincial Nominee adds 600 points
- Residence
Family sponsorship (immigration)
Permanent residence once approved
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required to apply — provincial health waiting period may apply on landing
- Good for
- Spouses, partners and dependent children of citizens or permanent residents
- Requirement
- Sponsor is a citizen/PR meeting undertaking obligations; genuine relationship
- Transit
Transit visa
Up to 48 hours; cannot leave the airport
- Insurance
- OptionalNot required — airside transit
- Good for
- Visa-required nationals passing through a Canadian airport within 48 hours
- Requirement
- Valid passport and onward travel; transit visa is free (an eTA may be needed to transit by air)
Canada has no dedicated digital-nomad visa — remote workers use ordinary visitor status (up to 6 months; longer at officer discretion since Jan 2026). Several provinces impose a health-coverage waiting period, so private cover is often needed on arrival. The Start-up Visa is paused for new applicants in 2026, and an Express Entry overhaul is under consultation. Last checked: 2026-06.
Last verified June 2026
Routes that depend on your nationality
Some of Canada’s long-stay routes are open only to citizens of specific countries. Here’s where a Spain passport stands:
International Experience Canada (IEC) - Working Holiday / Young Professionals / International Co-op
You qualify — open to Spain passport holders
Open only to citizens of ~36 bilateral youth-mobility partner countries/territories. Age limit 18-30 or 18-35 depending on citizenship (e.g. 18-30 for Andorra, Belgium, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden; 18-35 for most others). Three categories: Working Holiday (open work permit), Young Professionals and International Co-op (both employer-specific) - not every country has all three (e.g. Switzerland has no Working Holiday; New Zealand, Denmark, Japan etc. have Working Holiday only). LMIA-exempt, generally up to 12-24 months. Citizens of non-partner countries may only participate via a government-recognised organisation, not directly. 2026 season is open. ISO-2 list verified against the documented partner list; this is the well-documented set.
CUSMA Investor work permit
Not open to Spain passport holders
LMIA-exempt work permit under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (formerly NAFTA), restricted to citizens of the United States or Mexico only (permanent residents do not qualify). Requires a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business that the applicant develops and directs; the enterprise must be of US or Mexican nationality by ownership. Typically issued up to 1 year, extendable in increments of up to 2 years.
CUSMA Trader work permit
Not open to Spain passport holders
LMIA-exempt work permit under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (formerly NAFTA), restricted to citizens of the United States or Mexico only. Applicant must carry on substantial trade of goods or services principally between Canada and their country of citizenship (US or Mexico), and the employing enterprise must be of US or Mexican nationality.
Visa-free isn’t insurance-free
Whatever route you take into Canada, your entry stamp never includes health cover. Many longer-stay visas also require proof of insurance before they’re granted. That part is on you — and it’s what we actually do.
Spain → Canada: frequently asked
- Do Spain passport holders need a visa to visit Canada?
- Electronic travel authorisation (eTA). Apply online for a quick travel authorisation before you go. Always confirm with the official source before booking.
- Can a Spain passport holder live or work long-term in Canada?
- Yes, via a long-stay visa. Canada has 9 documented visa types covering work, study, residence and — where it exists — digital-nomad routes.
- Do I need travel insurance for Canada?
- Entry to Canada never includes health cover, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended. Several Canada visas also require proof of insurance before they're granted.
Last updated
Visa rules can change at short notice and depend on your purpose of travel, length of stay and onward tickets. Always confirm with the destination’s embassy or the IATA Travel Centre before you book. Visa-free entry never includes travel health insurance. That’s still on you.