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International Visiting Research Scholars

Three scientists in lab coats work at laboratory benches with scientific equipment and samples, focusing on experiments under bright lights in a modern research lab.

Explore the world at TMU

Join us as a visiting researcher or scholar at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where innovation, applied research, and community connection thrive. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada’s largest and most diverse city. TMU offers a dynamic environment to engage in meaningful research, build global collaborations, and contribute to projects that drive real-world change.

To learn more about research at Toronto Metropolitan University, please visit the Research and Innovation site.

Initial planning ↓
Visiting researcher application form ↓
Upon arrival ↓

Initial planning

All visiting researchers must be invited by a faculty host at Toronto Metropolitan University. Interested scholars/professors must be in contact with a Toronto Metropolitan University faculty host directly in order to coordinate the details of their potential visit. 

Find a Researcher

If you are in discussions with a faculty host about a potential visit, you will need to ensure that you have reviewed the information found on the Foreign Researchers (external link)  section of this site to determine your eligibility.

Visiting scholar/professor applicants must submit a current CV, including a list of publications, letter of support from their home institution, including proof of their academic appointment, along with a description of their SRC plans to their potential Toronto Metropolitan University faculty host.

For planning purposes, it will be important for you to ensure that you have:

  1. Reviewed the reasons for inadmissibility for entry into Canada (external link)  and ensure that you do not foresee any reasons why you would be deemed inadmissible based on the information available there.
  2. Looked into whether you will require a temporary resident visa (external link)  depending on your country of citizenship. Individuals from visa-exempt countries may travel with their electronic travel authorization (external link)  and may apply for a visitor record and a work permit (external link)  upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry.
  3. Looked into whether you will require biometrics (external link) .
  4. Looked into whether you will require a medical exam for a visa (external link)  and/or a medical exam for a work permit (external link) .
  5. Reviewed processing times (external link)  for work permits and visas based on your country of citizenship.

Completion of the visiting researcher application form

Once the details of the visit have been determined, your faculty host will need to seek approvals within the University. Once the approvals have been obtained, you will be prompted by your faculty host to complete a Visiting Researcher Application Form (linked below). The information provided in the questionnaire will be used to further assess eligibility and prepare supporting documentation for entry into Canada.

When completing the application form, you will be asked to upload the following documents: 

  1. Valid passport
  2. Letter of approval from home institution, confirming your status with the home institution
  3. Award documents, if coming under the Research Award Recipient category

 Important to note: 

  • Please ensure that you complete all relevant information. Incomplete information may result in delays in processing the request in a timely manner.
  • Please note, your invitation to Toronto Metropolitan University is dependent on your eligibility to enter Canada, in accordance with relevant immigration regulations.
  • The Visiting Researcher Application Form is a google document that cannot be saved as a partially completed document. You are advised to first review the form and ensure that you have all of the required information before you begin completing it.
 (google form)  Visiting Researcher Application Form (Student or Scholar)  (external link) 

Upon arrival

Upon arrival at a port of entry in Canada, you must ensure that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Officer has provided you with the appropriate status documentation. Normally, this will be a work permit. If you are coming under a work permit exemption category such as the 120 day researcher category, you must verbally request the CBSA Officer to provide you with a visitor record (external link)  before leaving the port of entry.

We will arrange orientation sessions for international visiting research students and for international visiting scholars/professors. A date and time for the session will be provided upon arrival.

In accordance with Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its Regulations, you are required to review your rights under the International Mobility Program (external link) .

Should you have any questions about the above, you may contact us at visitingresearch@torontomu.ca.

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