Travelling for work outside Canada

[Mushmash]

Hi Everyone,

I am a flight attendant with a Canadian airline and I frequently have to overnight in the United States. I am wondering if the time spent outside canada will count towards my permanent resident obligation? I literally just sleep in the U.S. for 8-9hrs then return to Canada the next day. So I'm not even out of the country for more than 24hrs. I live in Canada and I pay taxes in Canada. Thanks!

 

[keesio]

According to the new PR rules, it won't be a problem because the new rules state that any partial time spent in Canada counts as a day in Canada. So if you depart Canada and return the next day, you have spent some time in Canada on both days, hence your net days where you are considered outside Canada is zero.

 

[Mushmash]

Thank you Keesio. This helps a lot.

Mushmash

 

[kateg]

Hi Everyone,

I am a flight attendant with a Canadian airline and I frequently have to overnight in the United States. I am wondering if the time spent outside canada will count towards my permanent resident obligation? I literally just sleep in the U.S. for 8-9hrs then return to Canada the next day. So I'm not even out of the country for more than 24hrs. I live in Canada and I pay taxes in Canada. Thanks!

The IRPA includes work abroad for a Canadian employer. It excludes work for a company that exists to keep your PR, but an airline obviously would not fall under that rule. In the event you have a longer assignment, it should still be counted if:

they are under contract to, or are full-time employees of a Canadian business or in the
public service, where the assignment is controlled from the head office of a Canadian
business or public institution in Canada;
 they are assigned on a full-time basis as a term of their employment or contract, to a
position outside Canada with that business, an affiliated enterprise or a client;
 they maintain a connection to a Canadian business;
 the are assigned on a temporary basis to the work assignment; and
 they will continue working for the employer, in Canada, after the assignment.

If you return home to Canada after a short duration, and the company is Canadian, it should not be an issue. The employment tax form and a copy of your job description would likely suffice. For many employees, they want to see letters of assignment, etc., but for an international flight attendant, travel is expected.