Work online for US company, while visiting Canada

[Tigra86]

Hello,

I'm US permanent resident, and in couple weeks I'm coming to Vancouver, BC to visit my girlfriend. Can I work for my US company online, while I'm in Canada? Or I need work permit?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jalex23]

Hello,

I'm US permanent resident, and in couple weeks I'm coming to Vancouver, BC to visit my girlfriend. Can I work for my US company online, while I'm in Canada? Or I need work permit?

Thanks in advance!

This is more of an international workers topic, but OK...

This is like a business trip, and a business trip is allowed under TRV (think of people going on training, they are trained in Canada but get paid in the US for the days they were in training, do they need a work permit? No.).

 

[Tigra86]

So, should I say to officer, that I came for business? Or 'tourism' should be enough?

 

[Tigra86]

Oh, also, I don't need any visa, since I'm US resident. So, i don't have TRV.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Hello,

I'm US permanent resident, and in couple weeks I'm coming to Vancouver, BC to visit my girlfriend. Can I work for my US company online, while I'm in Canada? Or I need work permit?

Thanks in advance!

Yes actually they like it when visitors are working remotely for a non Canadian company. It shows them you will not be working illegally. As long as you are not working with Canadian clients and your pay originates through a us bank you are good to go. It's recommended u being recent pay stubs in case they ask.

If your trip is not business related don't tell them it is. You are going to visit your gf. They will want to see you plan to return to the us and not overstay so having a remote job is one of the best ways to prove that.

 

[mikeymyke]

Yes actually they like it when visitors are working remotely for a non Canadian company. It shows them you will not be working illegally. As long as you are not working with Canadian clients and your pay originates through a us bank you are good to go. It's recommended u being recent pay stubs in case they ask.

If your trip is not business related don't tell them it is. You are going to visit your gf. They will want to see you plan to return to the us and not overstay so having a remote job is one of the best ways to prove that.

Is that really allowed though? Working online (even for a non Canadian company with non Canadian clients) I mean? Because the visitor is still gaining financially while in Canada.

 

[canuck_in_uk]

So, should I say to officer, that I came for business? Or 'tourism' should be enough?

You don't need to mention anything about business or working remotely while in Canada, as it has nothing to do with your purpose for being in Canada, which is to visit your girlfriend.

Is that really allowed though? Working online (even for a non Canadian company with non Canadian clients) I mean? Because the visitor is still gaining financially while in Canada.

Yes, it's allowed, as it does not take away from or compete with the Canadian labour market.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/manuals/fw/fw01-eng.pdf - Section 5.1

What kind of activities are not considered to be “work”?

An activity which does not really ‘take away’ from opportunities for Canadians or permanent residents to gain employment or experience in the workplace is not “work” for the purposes of the definition.

Examples of activities for which a person would not normally be remunerated or which would not compete directly with Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents in the Canadian labour market and which would normally be part-time or incidental to the reason that the person is in Canada include, but are not limited to:

long distance (by telephone or internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside
Canada;

 

[Tigra86]

Thanks a lot for all your answers!!

 

[mikeymyke]

Cool never knew that, thanks.

 

[rhcohen2014]

Is that really allowed though? Working online (even for a non Canadian company with non Canadian clients) I mean? Because the visitor is still gaining financially while in Canada.

yes mikey - it actually helps US citizens (and probably other visa exempt visitors) gain long term visits, because as canuck posted, it alleviates their concern about a visitor working illegally and taking a job away from a canadian. that is one the primary concerns when vistors enter canada. so they actually become a lot friendlier when they know you plan to work and support yourself online through a non canadian jpb. This is one way i am able to prove my ties to the US while visiting my husband and applying for PR.