Cherylhawkins

Firstly apologies if this has been asked before. I found similar questions; but not the same as my situation.

I would like to visit Canada for 6 months. I would be staying with a friend.
I intend to stay with my UK employer and pay my UK taxes. My employer is not registered in Canada and I would be simply doing my current job, just remotely in Canada instead of the UK.

Am I correct that I can do this with no tax implications for myself or my employer so long as its no longer than 6 months ?

Thankyou for any advice.

Siouxie

Hello and welcome to BE!

Please note that there are no guarantees that you will be granted a 6 month visitor permit......... it depends on what you are given at the time of entry - and the determination of the CBSA Officer on duty - which may depend on what proof you provide that you are a genuine visitor, with a reason to return to your country of origin, proof of reasons for being here etc.,

You can work remotely as a visitor, without need of a work permit - provided none of your 'clients' are Canada based'.

For taxes see: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...ts-canada.html

Cherylhawkins

Thankyou so much for this advice. The Canadian immigration board gave me incorrect info so I was concerned.

They said : you can come for 6 months at a time as much as you want during the 5 year tourism visa and not worry about any tax implications. So long as you return home every 6 months. I then find this is not the case and I can only do 6 months in a year before tax implications occur. Worrying that this mis information came from the Canadian immigration authority eh!

Granted I could book a flight to return in 6 months but of course border officials could decide to give me less time.

Does this mean I can book one-way and wait for the date they give me ? Rather than book for 6 month return and they give me less time thus rendering me unable to board said flight.

Siouxie

What "Canadian Immigration Board" ? The official site is: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...it-canada.html
taxes:https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...cy-status.html

I would recommend booking a return and using official websites, rather than random online ones

christmasoompa

I wouldn’t, you’ll be at higher risk of being refused entry if you only have a one way ticket, immigration might think you plan to stay. Just buy a flexible ticket instead.

Don’t forget you’ll not be eligible for provincial healthcare as a visitor so make sure you have a good private policy.

And as Siouxie has said above, where did you get the above advice from? It’s certainly not from an official source, the ‘5 year tourist visa’ rather gives that away! If you’re a UK citizen then you don’t even need a visa.

Cherylhawkins

Sorry. By 5 year tourist visa I meant the eta you have to buy to travel to Canada. It is valid for 5 years.
much like the us esta.
This was on the official Canada.ca website

I wouldnt have been allowed to visit last month without it so I am a little confused that you say one is not required!

as for who I spoke to re travelling there for 6 months it was the people at uis Canada who handle visas for relocating

The official canada.ca website also confirms with a tourist visa you can visit for up to 6 months

CanadaJimmy

You are correct you do need an ETA, using the term "tourist visa" just caused some confusion I think! Actual tourist visas are required when travelling to Canada from some countries.

Siouxie

An e-TA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is not a visa, is a permit to travel to Canada by air - 2 very different things https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...anada/eta.html Please ensure that you only use the official website for information on this

Who is UIS Canada? Are they Universal Immigration Services? They don't appear to be approved by https://www.college-ic.ca/protecting...on-consultant?

As has been pointed out, you may stay for up to 6 months - but you might only be give a day or a week or a month on entry - you need to prove that you are a genuine visitor, showing proof that you can support yourself financially, details of where you are staying - what your plans are, proof of ties to the your home country (UK or elsewhere) - such as a rental agreement, proof of employment or schooling etc., - reasons that you must return as well as proof of sufficient funds to purchase a ticket if you don't have a return - you won't be relocating, you will be a visitor..


https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration...ose-entry.html








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christmasoompa

As above, that's not a visa. People from some countries do require a visa to visit Canada, the UK isn't one of them hence the confusion.

Ah. Then they aren't the 'Canadian immigration authority', they're just a visa agency and not a reputable one either.

Rete

Not Canadian but sounds like you have a love interest in Canada and are planning on visiting Canada for long periods of time to be with him without benefit of an immigration visa while continuing to work for your UK employer.

If Canada is like the US (although the US only allows up to 90 days on the ETA), then leaving Canada and coming back within a few days or a month will be suspicious at the port of entry and might well get you refused from entering.

SanDiegogirl

Under the status of visitor, it is my understanding that 'working', even remotely, is not complying with the true spirit of the visitor status.
If you are actually working and are actually in Canada you should have a work visa.
Most people do not have 6 months of vacation - I would think that saying you are visiting for 6 months would raise the question as to how you are going to support yourself for all that time. Unless you could show enough money to cover 6 months of 'vacation' in Canada, it would be assumed you are working.

PMM

Hi

1. Not correct, You can work remotely for a company, that has no presence in Canada and you will not be doing any work for a Canadian company. You don't require a work permit.

christmasoompa

What the OP is proposing is absolutely fine and doesn’t require a visa. Unlike the US, it’s ok to work for a foreign employer in Canada. As long as one doesn’t enter the labour market (not taking jobs away from Canadians), then it’s allowed as a visitor.

SanDiegogirl

Very liberal......