Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

[mayple]

Can someone help regarding purchasing a house in Canada for US commuters?

My case: A Permanent Resident living in Canada and commuting to US once a week. Going back to Canada after workday. Have not been spending nights in USA

Question: Can a Canadian Permanent resident drawing salary in USA in USD apply for mortgage in Canada to buy a house. If yes, is it expected to put 20% as downpayment or more than 20%? I've heard some Canadian banks asking for 35% as downpayment.

Any help will be very much appreciated.

If you file taxes in Canada, you can get a mortgage with 20% downpayment even if you have foreign income.

 

[siddix16]

Hello,

I know this topic surfaces everynow and then on this forum but I never seem to get a clear picture so I would appreciate it if someone could clear my doubt.

My h1b is about to expire in Jul and My company is ready to file for extension. Now, from some earlier discussion here, what I gather is if we want to receive an i94 (which basically is extension of stay), one needs to be inside US when petition is filed. Do you know how long one needs to stay in US though? Is it when the courier is delivered to USCIS or till we get I797A (confirmation of receipt)?

Additionally any problem while commuting daily when the petition is being processed? As few people recommend not to travel while petition is pending.

And if we dont go for that route, another option is consular processing yea? Would that mean that I need to have a fresh Visa stamp on my passport before my current Visa expires if I want to commute daily?

Thank you for your help

 

[AjeyaGupta]

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2021/01/government-of-canada-introduces-further-restrictions-on-international-travel.html



New quarantine restrictions announced on Jan 29.
If anyone comes back from work on Monday, I'd really like to hear if they require a negative test result to come back to Windsor.

FYI - I travelled to work to Michigan and returned back to Canada yesterday. As of now, they are not asking for negative Covid result. However, it sounds like they will start putting some measures in place for land border crossing in near future.

 

[jsam3303]

I have just come across this forum and I apologize if this is a repeat question. I have scrolled through the 68pgs of post but just want to get some added reassurances about how to get an exemption from the 14-day quarantine. I've read the Order of Canada quarantine rules as well. I am just looking for real world people who are commuting weekly between Ontario (GTA) and US (Niagara Falls) via land.

Here's a summary and I am very appreciative of all your responses.

1. Husband is a Canadian citizen and GC holder. Works in Finance area.
2. Leaves Monday nights from GTA via car to US and returns Fridays to spend weekends in Canada with spouse/kids (has never had an issue crossing either way as he qualifies by right to enter each country) but he's not entering Canada for an essential reason. As a Canadian he can leave quarantine early by getting in his car and driving straight to the border.
3. Husband has now just entered his 20th quarantine since commuting began for us in September and being locked in a house for the foreseeable future is becoming too much. We need a solution.
4. He has not asked any CBSA for an exemption as we were never sure he would qualify and didn't want to flag him at the border. He's not technically an essential worker into Canada as most people see it however, he can't legally perform his work in Canada while being paid by US firm.
5. The potential requirement for COVID testing each way is a whole other issue which we will deal with when the rules are announced.

Question: If you are commuting weekly via land between Canada and the US and you have got quarantine exemption could you tell me your details? What industry you are in? Did you show documentation? Do you have to plead your case every time your cross or is it noted in CBSA system? Did you reference section 6(n) of the order to plead your case for exemption? Is there any hope for us?!?

 

[harirajmohan]

I have just come across this forum and I apologize if this is a repeat question. I have scrolled through the 68pgs of post but just want to get some added reassurances about how to get an exemption from the 14-day quarantine. I've read the Order of Canada quarantine rules as well. I am just looking for real world people who are commuting weekly between Ontario (GTA) and US (Niagara Falls) via land.

Here's a summary and I am very appreciative of all your responses.

1. Husband is a Canadian citizen and GC holder. Works in Finance area.
2. Leaves Monday nights from GTA via car to US and returns Fridays to spend weekends in Canada with spouse/kids (has never had an issue crossing either way as he qualifies by right to enter each country) but he's not entering Canada for an essential reason. As a Canadian he can leave quarantine early by getting in his car and driving straight to the border.
3. Husband has now just entered his 20th quarantine since commuting began for us in September and being locked in a house for the foreseeable future is becoming too much. We need a solution.
4. He has not asked any CBSA for an exemption as we were never sure he would qualify and didn't want to flag him at the border. He's not technically an essential worker into Canada as most people see it however, he can't legally perform his work in Canada while being paid by US firm.
5. The potential requirement for COVID testing each way is a whole other issue which we will deal with when the rules are announced.

Question: If you are commuting weekly via land between Canada and the US and you have got quarantine exemption could you tell me your details? What industry you are in? Did you show documentation? Do you have to plead your case every time your cross or is it noted in CBSA system? Did you reference section 6(n) of the order to plead your case for exemption? Is there any hope for us?!?

For residents you get exemption to go back to work frequently. No quarantine as long as the travel is at least once a week.
For US residents, for visiting Canada, its a different case as not many officers will allow to avoid quarantine. Quarantine requirements is nothing to do with what citizenship the traveler holds - Canadian doesnt have privilege for exemption.

There is no restriction on category of workers - essential/non-essential. All it requires is essential travel, its not about working in essential sector or not. But visiting Canada might trigger quarantine. Not sure how strict they are. We will have to see if there is a regular visitor from this forum to share experience. Most of us are residents of Canada.

 

[AjeyaGupta]

I have just come across this forum and I apologize if this is a repeat question. I have scrolled through the 68pgs of post but just want to get some added reassurances about how to get an exemption from the 14-day quarantine. I've read the Order of Canada quarantine rules as well. I am just looking for real world people who are commuting weekly between Ontario (GTA) and US (Niagara Falls) via land.

Here's a summary and I am very appreciative of all your responses.

1. Husband is a Canadian citizen and GC holder. Works in Finance area.
2. Leaves Monday nights from GTA via car to US and returns Fridays to spend weekends in Canada with spouse/kids (has never had an issue crossing either way as he qualifies by right to enter each country) but he's not entering Canada for an essential reason. As a Canadian he can leave quarantine early by getting in his car and driving straight to the border.
3. Husband has now just entered his 20th quarantine since commuting began for us in September and being locked in a house for the foreseeable future is becoming too much. We need a solution.
4. He has not asked any CBSA for an exemption as we were never sure he would qualify and didn't want to flag him at the border. He's not technically an essential worker into Canada as most people see it however, he can't legally perform his work in Canada while being paid by US firm.
5. The potential requirement for COVID testing each way is a whole other issue which we will deal with when the rules are announced.

Question: If you are commuting weekly via land between Canada and the US and you have got quarantine exemption could you tell me your details? What industry you are in? Did you show documentation? Do you have to plead your case every time your cross or is it noted in CBSA system? Did you reference section 6(n) of the order to plead your case for exemption? Is there any hope for us?!?

From what I am able to gather, in order to be eligible for exemption, the CBSA needs to see a pattern of regular work travel from Canada to USA (atleast once a week). If they see a pattern like this, you should be able to ask for exemption while entering Canadian border.

In my ask the border officer asked me the frequency of my travel to USA, to which I said typically once or twice in a week. To this, she explicitly mentioned that she has placed me in quarantine exempt list (once for cross border travel).

 

[jsam3303]

For residents you get exemption to go back to work frequently. No quarantine as long as the travel is at least once a week.
For US residents, for visiting Canada, its a different case as not many officers will allow to avoid quarantine. Quarantine requirements is nothing to do with what citizenship the traveler holds - Canadian doesnt have privilege for exemption.

There is no restriction on category of workers - essential/non-essential. All it requires is essential travel, its not about working in essential sector or not. But visiting Canada might trigger quarantine. Not sure how strict they are. We will have to see if there is a regular visitor from this forum to share experience. Most of us are residents of Canada.

Thank you for the response. I agree with you that it is how you state your residency to the CBSA agent. We are going to try and see if he can indeed demonstrate Canadian residency to the border agent and not US residency. We are in the midst of figuring out cross-border taxes as well. We own a house jointly in Canada and he rents a place in the US currently. He may apply for a commuter GC status and that might help at CBSA as well in order to qualify for quarantine exemption.

 

[ca_hopeful]

Hi all,
Great thread.

Can you all take a look at the ENF 23 – Loss of Permanent Resident Status on Canada.ca and help me understand the section 6.5 Employment outside of Canada. Does it in anyway mean I am not allowed to work outside Canada while living as a PR in Canada?

Link https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf23-eng.pdf

 

[canprofus]

Hi all,
Great thread.

Can you all take a look at the ENF 23 – Loss of Permanent Resident Status on Canada.ca and help me understand the section 6.5 Employment outside of Canada. Does it in anyway mean I am not allowed to work outside Canada while living as a PR in Canada?

Link https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ircc/migration/ircc/english/resources/manuals/enf/enf23-eng.pdf

you misunderstood it. it is meant for the people who want to get their days counted PR obligation while working outside Canada.

 

[ca_hopeful]

you misunderstood it. it is meant for the people who want to get their days counted PR obligation while working outside Canada.

Thanks. I thought so.

 

[ca_hopeful]

So just to be sure. If I Travel to US to work on Monday morning and return on Tuesday evening, I can count both Monday and Tuesday towards my residency as I was inside Canada during some part of the day. Am I right?

 

[AjeyaGupta]

So just to be sure. If I Travel to US to work on Monday morning and return on Tuesday evening, I can count both Monday and Tuesday towards my residency as I was inside Canada during some part of the day. Am I right?

I think in your situation you would not be able to count Monday towards Residency Obligation days. The way I understand is "the night when you're going to sleep in Canada is the date you can count towards R.O."

 

[dry.00]

I think in your situation you would not be able to count Monday towards Residency Obligation days. The way I understand is "the night when you're going to sleep in Canada is the date you can count towards R.O."

I thought partial days count as full days?

 

[AjeyaGupta]

I thought partial days count as full days?

Yes, that is true in situations where you travel to USA for work on Morning (say 8:00 am) and return back in the evening (say 6:00 pm). In that case, you would still sleep in Canada after working in USA. This is how I have been counting my days till now. Others/Experts could also chime in.

 

[canprofus]

I think in your situation you would not be able to count Monday towards Residency Obligation days. The way I understand is "the night when you're going to sleep in Canada is the date you can count towards R.O."

I don't think that's true. any day (even if you spend a minute) spent in Canada is counted for RO as well as for citizenship.. if someone goes on Monday and returns on Tuesday, no days are lost for RO.