Volunteering - legal?

[pegasusyt]

Sorry to make so many thread! I am more confused now than ever and need help.

Considering asking for an extended stay so that my boyfriend and I can get married come September.

I have been volunteering at an animal hospital since I've been here and the owner has offered to write a character reference or support letter. I wondered if including this in with my application would help, however I'm not sure volunteering is considered "legal" for a tourist? I've looked it up and heard in some cases it's considered work? Does anybody know? I can't seem to find a clear answer..

 

[Swede]

Sorry to make so many thread! I am more confused now than ever and need help.

Considering asking for an extended stay so that my boyfriend and I can get married come September.

I have been volunteering at an animal hospital since I've been here and the owner has offered to write a character reference or support letter. I wondered if including this in with my application would help, however I'm not sure volunteering is considered "legal" for a tourist? I've looked it up and heard in some cases it's considered work? Does anybody know? I can't seem to find a clear answer..

If the volunteering in question is something that a Canadian could get paid for it's not legal, but e.g. volunteering at a hospital, carting around food or whatever, is ok.

 

[pegasusyt]

I don't understand the difference.

It's an animal clinic - I walk dogs, do laundry, sweep and mop, dishes, filing, whatever needs to be done. It's only about 10 hours a week. How do I know if they would consider this "work"?

 

[fallenstar831]

Some volunteer work is okay. You have to be really careful though, as if the job considered "volunteer" is something that a Canadian Citizen, or PR would do and get paid - It's considered work and you therefore need a work permit.

 

[pegasusyt]

Thanks - I understand, however I'm not sure what is considered "something a Canadian would get paid for". How do I know what they consider to be that? Are there any rules, eg, not more than 10 hours a week?

 

[PMM]

HI

Thanks - I understand, however I'm not sure what is considered "something a Canadian would get paid for". How do I know what they consider to be that? Are there any rules, eg, not more than 10 hours a week?

Look at it this way, if someone else at the animal clinic is do the same job you are and they are getting paid, then it is not volunteering what you are doing.

PMM

 

[fallenstar831]

Here is the closest explanation I can find... it's for students, but it's the same paramiters. They have no work permit.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/study/institutions/work-volunteer.asp

I believe you fall under here:

Volunteer work for which a person would not normally be remunerated, such as a foreign student being a ‘big brother’, or ‘big sister’ to a child; being on the line at a rape crisis centre. Normally this activity would be part time and incidental to the main reason that the person is in Canada (in this case, to study).

 

[pegasusyt]

Thanks muchly!