Sending staff to Canada for the 2026 World Cup: Business visitor rules

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is a massive logistical operation spread across three countries. For international companies, sending personnel to Canada to support tournament operations involves navigating a complex web of immigration rules. Whether you are a corporate sponsor, a global broadcaster, an event management firm, or a specialized equipment supplier, you must ensure your staff can legally enter Canada.

The boundary between a business visitor and a worker who requires a work permit is incredibly thin. Getting this wrong can lead to immediate border refusals, disrupted operations, and expensive delays during a time-sensitive global event. Understanding how Canadian immigration authorities distinguish between these categories, what activities your team can perform without a work permit, and how to prepare your staff for a smooth entry is critical to avoiding operational disasters.

How Canada separates business visitors from workers

When planning your staffing for the tournament, your first step is to determine whether your employees qualify as business visitors or if they need a formal work permit. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) makes this determination by looking at where the work occurs, who pays the employee, and who benefits directly from the services.

To qualify as a business visitor, an employee must meet several strict legal criteria:

• The primary source of the employee's remuneration must remain outside of Canada.
• The employee's principal place of business must remain outside of Canada.
• The employer's primary