Usually up to six months. The border services officer sets the period and may write a different date in your passport or issue a visitor record.
Travel days in Canada: six months is the default
With no stamp and no note, six months applies from the day you enter. If an officer writes a date in your passport, that date governs instead. Canada says so itself, and it is the most common misunderstanding.
An eTA is not permission to enter
It lets you board the plane, nothing more, and it says nothing about your travel days in Canada. At the airport an officer checks your purpose, your funds and your onward travel. They may refuse entry with a valid eTA on file.
A visitor record beats a rule of thumb
To stay longer, apply for a visitor record before your status expires. It sets a new end date and replaces the six months. Apply in time and you may remain in Canada while it is processed.
Document your travel days in Canada
Canada does not always stamp passports. Without a stamp there is no proof of when the six months started, other than your own record. Keep the boarding pass, note the date, done.
What the officer wants to know
Where you live, how long you are staying, what you live on and when you fly home. A booked return flight and evidence of funds do more than any explanation. Digital nomads should be able to say where their employer sits and who pays them.
Check before travelling
- Do you need an eTA or visitor visa?
- Are you arriving by air, land or sea?
- Was a specific departure date set?
- Is the eTA linked to your current passport?