number_5

Bit confused and wondered if anyone could clear this up for me...

I'm hoping to move to Vancouver, ideally this autumn but I know that might be a bit optimistic as these things take forever!

I'm currently self-employed running a website and have been for the past 5 years. If I was to continue running the website from Vancouver, does this count as already having an employer lined up in Canada if I was to get a working visa?

Also, I've heard that you can go to Canada for up to 6 months with no visa, but can't work in that time - would it be illegal for me to continue running the website while I was there? (I always do this when I'm on holiday as there's no other staff to take over when I'm away - I can run the website from anywhere really, just need a computer and internet!)

el_richo

Which Visa Route are you taking?


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number_5

What's a Visa Route? Sorry, overwhelmed by so much information at the moment, very confused!

el_richo

As in, which Visa are you looking to obtain that will allow you to live and work in Canada


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number_5

Ideally a temporary working visa (only planning to go for about 6 months for now)

el_richo

Hopefully somebody will pop along who has direct knowledge or experience but to get a TWP i believe you need a job offer.

I'm not sure whether you've looked into this as far yet but to be able to live and work in Canada you need either

1, To be sponsored by family
2, Have a job offer
3, Have your current job and/or skills on the list of 38 chosen ones, and apply as a Skill Worker (which can take up to a year)
4, Go down the BUNAC route if you are under 30 years old (waiting for the 2011 allocation)

As for being able to just turn up and work for 6 months. If you have your own business in the UK, and can show that you can support yourself without working for that duration of time, i don't see why you couldn't.

Now, i might be missing something here as working for those 6 months may or may not be legal. Not sure if it's different from, say, working at another internal office for an international company in the capacity of business travel.

Hopefully somebody will come and straighten it out.


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Aviator

Your business would net get you a residency permit in Canada. You cannot sponsor yourself, nor is it a Canadian business. You could apply on the basis of setting up a business in Canada, but would have to demonstrate an economic benefit to Canada. Not sure remotely running a website from Canada would qualify you.

If you were on holiday in Canada, there should not be much of an issue remotely managing your business. If any monies you earned were paid to the UK and deposited into a UK bank you could be OK.

Once you start to do thing that make it appear you are resident, then things get a bit sticky. Don't forget you would have no medical coverage either. If immigration at any time determine you are working illegally you could be ordered to leave and barred from re-entry.

number_5

Thanks for the replies!

Just to confirm, definitely intending to work fully legally

Re: running the business from Canada, would paying Canadian income tax on my earnings count as an economic benefit to Canada? (With the earnings going into a Canadian bank account)

I guess otherwise, I could look at it as holiday and update the website as I do when I'm on holiday anywhere, with the earnings all going into my UK bank account still?

R I C H

When I first arrived here I applied for a temporary work permit to run my own business. Merely paying Canadian income tax will not be deemed enough of an economic benefit to get a TWP issued. You'll need to submit a 5yr business plan, illustrate the level of investment you're intending to make, plans for staff recruitment, how the business will meet/address the needs of the local economy etc etc. I'd be surprised if an investment in premises/inventory and start-up costs under $250k was considered enough to justify meeting the key criteria of delivering 'substantial economic benefit to the local community'.

JonboyE

A British passport holder can get a visitors visa for six months. They are issued by the immigration officer at the point of entry. Note that although you usually are given a six month visitor's visa it is at the officer's discretion. They might give you less - they might even deny you entry.

As I understand it, if you are remotely operating your web site you are not considered as entering the Canadian workforce and can carry on doing this as a visitor. Just like when you are on holiday. You remain a UK resident for immigration and tax purposes.

However, get this checked by someone who knows what they are talking about because I am just passing on second hand information.