By Natoyah Alaka | 2.5 min read | Posted on February 4, 2025

I was assigned a client who had a prior visa refusal.

He had prepared and submitted his own application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Whenever a client has prior refusals, I request the visa officer’s case notes. With his consent, I requested the notes through ATIP (Access to Information Privacy).

The notes read that the officer didn’t believe he would leave the country after his stay.

Lack of supporting documents

The client didn’t understand why his application was refused. His other colleagues had applied on their own—and laughed at him for not being able to obtain his Canadian business visitor visa.

I asked the client for the documents he had submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Once reviewing, It was clear why his application was refused.

He didn’t provide all the information that IRCC requires for a business visitor. It’s on the IRCC website.

Support Letters from employer and inviting parties

When applying for a Canadian business visitor visa, the employer must provide a professional letter detailing the applicant’s employee status, salary, employer contact information, and brief company information.

The inviting party must do the same—as well as give details about the activities the traveler will be engaged in.

If the letter simply states “going to attend meetings” and there is no contact information of your HR or manager, no solid proof of employment, and the letter looks like it was typed in a hurry, with lack of consideration added to its creation—it’s likely the visa application will be refused.

The client’s support letters did not look serious. Because of that, I provided him templates to use.

Providing proof of statements made in your application

If you are applying for a Canadian business visitor visa, and your letter states that you are coming for a conference—you must provide proof of your registration for that conference.

If you are working full-time for the employer that is sending you to Canada—you must provide evidence that you receive salary from that employer.

A Case Study in Proper Documentation

Long story short, I requested the documents required for his visa application, provided him templates to have his employer and inviting party complete, prepared and submitted his application—he was granted a Canadian business visitor visa.

How proper preparation can lead to a visa approval

By obtaining all required documentation, providing well composed support letters, and providing supporting documents—we achieved a positive outcome. The approval of his Canadian business visitor visa demonstrates the importance of proper documentation.

My articles

My articles are drawn from real-world experiences, handling numerous visa applications in a fast-paced corporate environment. Each insight and tip shared here comes from actual cases, challenges overcome, and solutions that work. Stay updated with practical immigration tips by following my weekly articles.

Disclaimer: The above writing is not intended to be a source of legal advice. Please seek legal advice and use your own good judgement before choosing to act on any information provided above. If you choose to rely on this article, you do so entirely at your own accountability.