Canadian citizens have the possibility of immigrating to Hungary from Canada for various purposes, which are regulated under the Hungarian immigration law. Canadians can arrive here for work purposes, visiting family and friends who are currently living here, relocate to Hungary on a permanent basis and even obtaining Hungarian citizenship. Of course, Canadians can arrive here for traveling purposes as well.
What are the requirements for short stays in Hungary?
Just like in the case of other countries, the immigration law in Hungary distinguishes between two basic types of stays: short-term stays and long-term stays. A short-term stay in Hungary defines any visit with a duration of maximum 90 days in a period of 180 days, a regulation which can be met in all European states.
Depending on the nationality of the applicant, for a short-term stay one may need to apply for a visa or can enter the Hungarian territory without any specific immigration document. For instance, EU citizens do not need to obtain a document from the Hungarian authorities when arriving here. A full presentation on the border control regulations can be presented by our Hungarian lawyers.
For third country nationals, as it is the case of Canadians who immigrate to Hungary from Canada, a visa will generally be necessary, but for Canadian passport holders, the visa is not required. This is due to the fact that Canada and Hungary have signed a visa waiver agreement, which grants this right, as long as the passport of the Canadian citizen arriving here has a validity that exceeds by at least 3 months the date at which the departure of the foreigner will take place. Our attorneys in Hungary can offer more details.
How can Canadians obtain a residence permit in Hungary?
The issuance of a residence permit can be done based on the purpose of stay, which is divided between the following: general relocation purposes of a private individual (for example, reuniting with family members), relocation for work purposes or for persons in distress (such as asylum seekers).
Below, we will present the legal reasons through which a person can obtain a residence permit for work purposes, and for other options, as the ones presented above, you can always request legal advice from our law firm in Hungary. Firstly, persons who want to immigrate to Hungary from Canada for work purposes must have an employment offer here. The process is started by the future employer in Hungary, who will submit an application on behalf of the future Canadian employee.
A foreign employee can obtain a residence permit through the company hiring them here, which must be a preferred employer. The term preferred employer is defined by the Government Decree No.114/2007, Article 72/H (10), which refers to entities working under a partnership with the local government seeking for certain employees or to employers that need employees from a shortage occupation (meaning, that they can’t find suitable employees in Hungary).
At the same time, these regulations take into consideration an employer that develops a certain investment project that is of interest for the local economy. For the process of issuing the residence permit, we invite you to request additional information from our Hungarian lawyers.
How many Canadians live in Hungary?
Although one can find numerous foreigners living in Hungary, with various national backgrounds, it must be noted that there aren’t that many Canadians living here at the moment. The highest number of foreigners arriving here are from other European countries, but there is also an increasing trend of Asian immigrants relocated here. With regards to persons who immigrate to Hungary from Canada, the Hungarian Central Statistics Office has the following data:
- •in 2010, only 172 Canadians immigrated in Hungary, and, in 2011, their number increased to 180;
- in 2012 and 2013 respectively, Hungary received 173 and 169 Canadian immigrants;
- in 2014 and 2015, 148 Canadians arrived here and 214, respectively;
- in 2016, 189 persons from Canada arrived here and in 2017, their number increased at 226 persons;
- however, in the last few years, the number of Canadians who immigrate to Hungary from Canada remained above 200, as in 2018, there were 240 new arrivals, and in 2019, 242 new persons.
Persons who need information on the immigration process can rely on our Hungarian law firm for any other aspect that can be important in this procedure. You can also address to our Hungarian lawyers if you need legal counseling on how to apply for a permanent residence permit or how to apply for Hungarian citizenship and the basic legal requirements that must be fulfilled.