Hi everyone,
I’m in the submission phase of my PR application under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and could use some advice on handling my remote work situation.
Here’s the context:
I am writing to clarify that, although my employment verification letter lists a Quebec office address, I am currently working remotely from Ottawa. My team has been fully remote since the COVID-19 measures, and my manager approved my working from Ottawa. However, this approval wasn’t strictly necessary given the flexibility of my role.
While my pay stubs still show my old Quebec address for administrative reasons, this does not reflect my current residence. I now live in Ottawa, as shown by my lease, utility bills, and bank statements, which confirm my intent to reside in Ontario. My employer, based in Quebec, has no financial representation in Ontario, which is why my taxes and administrative matters are still tied to Quebec. I plan to reconcile any tax differences when I file my taxes and am also actively seeking Ontario-based employment to fully align my work and tax situation.
I moved to Ottawa on October 1st, 2024, after visiting earlier this year and feeling drawn to the city. While I considered both Ontario and British Columbia as places to settle, Ottawa felt like the right fit, personally and professionally. The city offers a great lifestyle, and Ontario presents strong opportunities in the tech sector that align with my career goals.
I don’t want to risk a delay or refusal, but I also don’t want to complicate things unnecessarily. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Would explaining the situation in the LOE be enough, or should I go ahead and add the remote work details to the employment letter itself?
Thanks so much for your advice!
I’m in the submission phase of my PR application under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and could use some advice on handling my remote work situation.
Here’s the context:
- I received my ITA and am preparing my final documents.
- I’ve been working full-time as a Professional Software Developer since August 2023 for a company based in Quebec with PGWP, but I’ve been living and working remotely from Ontario since October 2024.
- My employment letter lists my office location as Quebec, and my pay stubs still reflect my Quebec address because I was recruited while living there. I can't change this due to administrative reasons.
- My remote work arrangement is approved by my manager, but it’s not a formal company-wide policy, and centralized HR isn’t aware of it.
- I have a lease here, as well as bills, utilities, bank statements and correspondance with my new Ottawa address.
- Should I mention my remote work arrangement directly in my employment letter (HR allowed me to modify the document to reflect whatever I need, knowing that it's part of a bigger HR structure, and if they contact that structure they might not be able to confirm the remote arrangement as it's not a company wide policy)?
- Or is it enough to explain the situation in my Letter of Explanation (LOE) and leave the employment letter as is?
I am writing to clarify that, although my employment verification letter lists a Quebec office address, I am currently working remotely from Ottawa. My team has been fully remote since the COVID-19 measures, and my manager approved my working from Ottawa. However, this approval wasn’t strictly necessary given the flexibility of my role.
While my pay stubs still show my old Quebec address for administrative reasons, this does not reflect my current residence. I now live in Ottawa, as shown by my lease, utility bills, and bank statements, which confirm my intent to reside in Ontario. My employer, based in Quebec, has no financial representation in Ontario, which is why my taxes and administrative matters are still tied to Quebec. I plan to reconcile any tax differences when I file my taxes and am also actively seeking Ontario-based employment to fully align my work and tax situation.
I moved to Ottawa on October 1st, 2024, after visiting earlier this year and feeling drawn to the city. While I considered both Ontario and British Columbia as places to settle, Ottawa felt like the right fit, personally and professionally. The city offers a great lifestyle, and Ontario presents strong opportunities in the tech sector that align with my career goals.
I don’t want to risk a delay or refusal, but I also don’t want to complicate things unnecessarily. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Would explaining the situation in the LOE be enough, or should I go ahead and add the remote work details to the employment letter itself?
Thanks so much for your advice!