Immigrate to Hungary from Canada

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, visit family and friends who are currently living here, relocate to Hungary on a permanent basis, and even obtain Hungarian citizenship.

Discover below how our lawyers in Hungary can help Canadians move here.

What are the main ways to relocate to Hungary from Canada?

There are several ways to move to Hungary from Canada; the most important aspect to consider is the period of stay. From this point of view, Canadians can obtain temporary residence permits or a 10-year residence permit through the Golden Visa scheme (Guest Investor Program).

Considering these aspects, Canadian citizens interested in immigration to Hungary can move here based on the following grounds:

• employment;
• business;
• family reunion;
• investment.

Each type of relocation procedure is subject to specific requirements. As such, once you decide, you are invited to reach us for help from our lawyers in Hungary, who can detail the documents you need to prepare.

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 a maximum of 90 days in a period of 180 days, a regulation that 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 is the case with those who immigrate to Hungary from Canada, a visa will generally be necessary, but for Canadian passport holders, a 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. 

Here is also an infographic on this subject:

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 Act XC of 2023 and its implementing decree (Government Decree 114/2007 was repealed in 2024), 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.  

Immigrate to Hungary from Canada through investment

Considering this is one of the newest means you can use to move to Hungary from Canada, it may be of interest to you, especially since you have multiple choices in terms of investment.

Here are some of the highlights of this program:

• there are 2 investment options available (real estate fund units acquisition and donation);
• the minimum investment is EUR 250,000;
• the Hungarian residence permit is issued in about 5 months;
• the validity of a residence visa obtained this way is 10 years (renewable once); it does not lead to citizenship directly - naturalization requires 8 years of residence.

If you are interested in this immigration pathway, you can rely on our law firm in Hungary for assistance in filing for the Gloden Visa.

Relocate to Hungary from Canada by starting a business

Another way to immigrate to Hungary from Canada is by opening your own business. From this point of view, you can:

• operate as a professional by setting up a sole proprietorship;
• register a company, if you want to set up a medium-sized enterprise.

There are several industries that perform quite well in Hungary, among them automotive and agriculture. Should you decide on this pathway, our Hungarian lawyers can assist you in incorporating the desired business form.

We also have a video on this subject below:

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 is from other European countries, but there is also an increasing trend of Asian immigrants relocating here. With regards to persons who immigrate to Hungary, the Hungarian Central Statistics Office gathered data from the 2022 Census which reveals that:

• at the respective time, Hungary’s population was 9,603,634;
• by distribution, there were 1,078 women to 1,000 men;
• with respect to foreigners, 143,000 were German ethnics, followed by 30,000 Slovaks, and 28,000 Romanians;
• the total number of foreigners living in Hungary was 218,000, 52% more compared to the last Census completed in 2011;
• out of these, 76% of them came from European countries, with 82,000 from neighbouring ones.

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 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.