Emerging Remote Work Options: Canada
Since announcing its intention to become a ‘leader in tech talent recruitment and attraction’, Canada has taken several steps to attract a more highly skilled tech workforce.
One of Canada’s most recent attempts has involved enabling a direct transition to a job-specific worker permit from its tourist visa. The amendment aims to entice tourists in Canada, many of whom the Canadian government knows to be highly skilled tech professionals on working holidays, to remain in the country and contribute to the Canadian tech sector via a relatively hassle-free visa status alteration.
Below is a summary of the requirements and benefits of the visa pathway to longer-term temporary residency digital nomads can now take in Canada.
6-month Visitor Visa: Canadian visas for digital nomads
If you are one of the growing population of digital nomads globally who has enjoyed a working holiday, you may already be aware that Canada’s visitor visa lasts for a prolonged 6-month period compared to the more standard 90-day or 3-month periods for tourist visas in other countries. Although Canada has not created a separate digital nomad visa category, its visitor visa provides many of the same perks as digital nomad visa streams globally — including medium-length stay duration and no tax obligations — and is indeed already in use by many digital nomads as their working holiday visa status of choice.
The eligibility requirements for Canada’s visitor visa are moreover generally as relaxed as for visitor visas in other territories:
· Valid travel document, e.g. passport;
· Good health;
· No criminal or immigration-related offences;
· Evidence of ties to country of origin as proof that you will and can return;
· Show belief that you will leave Canada at the end of the duration of you visa; and
· Sufficient funds for your stay, based on the duration of your stay, and accommodation (e.g. as a guest or in hotels, AirBnB).
You can apply for a Canadian visitor visa by visiting this page and following the prompts.
Extending your visa in Canada
In February this year, the Canadian government extended until 28 February 2025 the availability of several temporary measures it had introduced during the pandemic. One of these measures is the ability for visitors to apply immediately for employer-specific work permits during or at the expiration of their visitor visas.
Holders of the Canadian work permit can remain in Canada for 2 years on the condition that they work for the employer listed as such in their visa application. Eligibility requirements for the work permit include the following:
- A valid visitor visa
- Details and proof of your employment with a Canadian employer including:
§ Your employer’s name
§ Location of your jobsite or place of employment
§ A copy of your employment contract that states the duration of your employment
- Copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (‘LMIA’) or, if exempt, an offer of employment number (both will require the employer’s cooperation to apply and prove that the prospective permit holder’s skills are essential for the role and rare in Canada)
- Ability to pay an application fee of at least $155
Visitor visa holders can apply for a permit on the Government of Canada page on job-specific work permits. Digital nomads who have transitioned to work with a Canadian employer can simply visit the page and follow the prompts (by clicking ‘inside Canada, then ‘No’ to whether any of the options reflect their circumstances, then ‘I’m a visitor to Canada’) and then scroll down to create an account or sign in.
Will Canada offer a Digital Nomad Visa?
Canada’s announcement in June of its intention to promote itself as a destination for digital nomads included a resolution to determine the efficacy of additional policies to attract digital nomads. Although Canada has not yet offered a specific visa for digital nomads as other countries have, it is not unlikely that it will open up this separate category of immigration late on, especially if the demand for remote work internationally continues to grow.
If you would like to know more about immigration pathways in Canada or elsewhere, don’t hesitate to contact Borderless Counsel at info@borderlesscounsel.com.