jhorsfield30

Is it possible to offer consultancy services(e.g. retail management) in Canada as a British LTD company, as long as the principal location is in the UK and billing is processed from the UK?
Would that be a business visitor visa?

john

Paul Wildy

There isn't really any such thing as a business visitor visa. if you are a business visitor you can come on a visitor visa and as a "business visitor" you are exepmt from needing a work permit. However, the real test used is whether you are "entering" the Canadian labour market. I.e. is the activity you are doing taking work away from Canadians? From what you say above the answer is probably yes so you would have a hard time trying to claim you were a business visitor. If you were working for Canadian companies from the UK on a contract basis then fine. If you were actually living in Canada and working exclusively for Canadian companies then not fine.

jhorsfield30

so come on a visitor, contract to companies on a short term basis, not working for anyone company perminantly and invoice from UK. Is fine?

john

Paul Wildy

maybe someone else can stick their oar in here but I would say you wouldn't get away with that. If you come out to meet the company, discuss terms etc and then go back to the UK to do the work then no problem, you are just a business visitor. If you are living here and doing the work here then effectively you have entered the Canadian labour market and what you are doing is illegal. It wouldn't probably take a while for anyone to realise because you were using the UK company so there would be no real paper trail in Canada but if you got caught it could scupper your chances of ever getting permanent residency here so it wouldn't be worth it.

Having said all that if you were able to obtain contract work from Canadian companies and actually did it from the UK you would build up a relationship with that customer and they might be willing to offer you the job in Canada you need so you could move here later on.

JonboyE

I am not an immigration expert but NSpaul’s advice, intuitively, sounds about right.

Also bear in mind that if you stay in Canada for more than 183 days in any year you will be deemed tax resident in Canada and will be liable for Canadian tax on all your worldwide earnings. Also, if the CRA concludes that the “mind and management” of the UK LTD Co. is in Canada then it will also be deemed tax resident and liable for Canadian tax.

Rob_999

Paul has it spot on. You're trying to beat the system - if you want to get PR status go down the PNP or LMO route.

jhorsfield30

just trying to hit as many companies as possible to see if anyone is willing to put the paperwork in,

Strange though, I have been told stories of contractors, forming a LTD company and invoicing companies in canada and america and as long as they are in the UK, they get away with it?
Don't want to do it if it jepodises my skilled worker..

Rob_999

Living and working form the UK is fine. But if you're living and working in Canada without a work permit - its a no go.

jhorsfield30

So if I need anything doing for a while, hire a canadian with a company set up in canada.

Otherwise, short term, I could contract for canadian companies as a contract between the LTD UK company and the candian company as long as service sector(i.e. not labour),

I hope i've got that right?.. appreciate everyone writing in, stops a dodgy conversation with CIC later..
john

R I C H

If you want to skip the potentially long wait for PR, why not investigate getting a work permit to allow you to set up and run your own business in Canada legitimately?

My wife and I got issued 3yr WP's to operate our own business while our application for PR gets dealt with in the meantime.

jhorsfield30

I would imagine that is the business immigration route?
Or do you mean temp work visa as a business visitor/worker.?

R I C H

It's neither really, just a standard temp WP, but rather than gaining employment or sponsorship with an employer you start your own business instead.

Read this for some more info.

jhorsfield30

So do you issue the business plan to london embassy or canada while ur there,
I have heard of the PNP business program,
I'am not quite sure how you apply for the WP for business reasons, not material on the website for london,
You mentioned in the thread you had to show proof of following through, did that relate to funds and/or research?

john

cneldred

I operate in the UK as a LTD. And have been advised that i will have to close down my UK LTD and open a Canadian one. I have an accountant in Canada already in the process of opening such company. He assures me the same perks apply in Canada, employing the missus and splitting the income to use her tax facility aswell, dividends etc applies out there.

Hope that helps some

Chris

L'il Bear

I am not sure if this applies to you or not, but some advice has been given on a different thread:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...imited+company

Hope this helps.