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Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Old Sep 26th 2022, 5:40 pm
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Default Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Hi

I have a UK Ltd company that I have been working through as a contractor for a number of years. Part of my business is online which means I earn an income in US dollars and am not tied to any specific location. The rest of my time is taken up working as a contract designer in the engineering industry.

I have just started a new contract which is on a large project in Toronto and as i'd always fancied moving over to Canada I'm wondering if this would be easy or not. The client wouldn't be able to sponsor me as I'm not an employee so it would be down to me to move there probably under my existing business. I have heard that you need to be a large company with employees and hundreds of thousands in the bank though to qualify. My business is just myself.

Is this feasible or not likely?

Regards

Mike



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Old Sep 26th 2022, 6:17 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

I believe it used to be possible to start a company in Canada and essentially "sponsor yourself" in on a work permit, so you apply for the LMIA for yourself from the company you create, not sure if this is still doable. There was a member on this forum who used to be active called R I C H who did it, may be worth sending a PM or looking through his old threads. As I said I'm not sure if this method still works.
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Old Sep 26th 2022, 8:47 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Are you you enough for a working holiday visa, through the IEC program?
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 5:51 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Unfortunately not. I'm 45 with a wife and 2 kids.

I've tried looking through the various sites but can't find an answer. It all seems geared to either people going to look for work or with a permanent job offer as an employee. For self employed you need to be in the arts or sports.

With a long term Canadian contract in place and other independent income I would have thought they would be glad to keep that in Canada.
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 7:20 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

So if anyone is in the same position, it would seem the answer may lie in the CETA Temporary worker program and then the new TW to PR plan just released.

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Old Sep 27th 2022, 9:06 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Originally Posted by felixflyer
So if anyone is in the same position, it would seem the answer may lie in the CETA Temporary worker program and then the new TW to PR plan just released.
CETA is for EU citizens so doesn't apply to Brits any longer. Do you mean CUKTCA?

For info on the self sponsored TWP route mentioned above that RICH took, have a search of the forum. Here's a recent thread with some links to his very useful posts - LMIA exempt and Owner Operator

Self employed isn't as specific as it sounds, lots of occupations qualify. What do you do/what is your NOC code?
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 9:29 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Yes CUKTCA although it says it is the same as CETA.

I looked for his posts but he mentions buying a property over there to use as a business. I already have a business and a contract in Toronto so not sure it will be the same process. I'm not investing in a new business but rather just relocating myself and business over there.

My NOC code is 2253 and I work as a CAD designer in the engineering sector

Regards

Mike
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 9:35 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Originally Posted by felixflyer
Yes CUKTCA although it says it is the same as CETA.

I looked for his posts but he mentions buying a property over there to use as a business. I already have a business and a contract in Toronto so not sure it will be the same process. I'm not investing in a new business but rather just relocating myself and business over there.

My NOC code is 2253 and I work as a CAD designer in the engineering sector

Regards

Mike
It wouldn't be exactly the same process, but you could use the same visa route. Your evidence would be slightly different i.e. you wouldn't need to show that you're purchasing premises if you already have them for your business for example, but can just show what you already have set up.

Forgive my ignorance, but I assume no chance that your job would come under 'Graphic Art Technicians' by any chance? https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3V...11&MLV=4&CLV=2 I assume not but as it's a qualifying NOC for the Self Employed program just thought I'd check!
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 10:04 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Not really as there is already a specific one for drafting technicians.

Premises wise I would be based at the clients office and I would rather not lease an office in Toronto as I presume it wouldn't be cheap.

I think I would be best getting over there as a temporary worker and taking it from there. it seems the new TW to PR route is still not finalised.
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 10:20 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Originally Posted by felixflyer
Not really as there is already a specific one for drafting technicians.

Premises wise I would be based at the clients office and I would rather not lease an office in Toronto as I presume it wouldn't be cheap.

I think I would be best getting over there as a temporary worker and taking it from there. it seems the new TW to PR route is still not finalised.
OK, then definitely the route RICH used wouldn't work for you if you won't be renting somewhere and/or hiring Canadians, you couldn't do that as a contractor for one client.

By 'new TW to PR route', are you meaning the M-44 bill? That won't really have any impact on you as you're a skilled worker anyway, it's aimed at people who are low skilled workers or students and enabling them to stay.

A work permit does seem your only option, but you say the client wouldn't be able to sponsor you? Will they help you at all or definitely not?
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 10:35 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

They would do all they can but I'm just assuming that because I will be a self-employed contract worker rather than staff then the usual employee sponsorship route wouldn't be open to me.

Yes I was thinking of the M-44. If I was already over there as a temporary worker then wouldn't I be able to apply under that? The temp worker scheme seems to have a limit of 12 months.
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 10:46 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Originally Posted by felixflyer
They would do all they can but I'm just assuming that because I will be a self-employed contract worker rather than staff then the usual employee sponsorship route wouldn't be open to me.

Yes I was thinking of the M-44. If I was already over there as a temporary worker then wouldn't I be able to apply under that? The temp worker scheme seems to have a limit of 12 months.
How would you get over there as a temporary worker though? If you're thinking of the LMIA exemption T47/T43, then that still requires the employer to submit an offer of employment via the Employer Portal, so you'll need to make sure they're ok with that.

As for staying longer, you'll need either a 'normal' work permit, or PR - the latter wouldn't be received by the time your year is up though, so you'd need to factor that in. M-44 shouldn't make any different to you, as mentioned above it's really for people that don't currently qualify for PR even though they live and work in Canada i.e. low skilled employees. If you're skilled, and not an employee, I can't see how that is going to make any different to you, although we don't know the full details yet and likely won't for quite a while.
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 11:12 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

It's not that the employer won't help, they will do all they can but I don't think they can sponsor me in the usual way as I'm not an employee. Reading through the LMIA info it says that this doesn't need to be a traditional employer contract and seems to be set up for contract workers such as myself.
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 11:38 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

Originally Posted by felixflyer
It's not that the employer won't help, they will do all they can but I don't think they can sponsor me in the usual way as I'm not an employee. Reading through the LMIA info it says that this doesn't need to be a traditional employer contract and seems to be set up for contract workers such as myself.
It is, yes, that's exactly what it's for, for short term contract workers. So as long as the employer is happy to pay the fee and do that for you, it's a good option if you have no other route.

It's a temporary solution though which may be too risky with a wife and 2 kids in tow? Is moving to being an employee an option or definitely not? That would make things soooo much easier!

What is the actual aim - just to move to Toronto temporarily to make fulfilling your contract easier, or to move permanently as a family?
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Old Sep 27th 2022, 11:53 am
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Default Re: Moving to Toronto as a self employed contractor

We'd like to move there long term. It was always something we wanted to do years ago but gave up when the kids came along. I was already toying with the idea of growing my online business and maybe setting up an office in the US or Canada in order to transfer myself over via an intra-company transfer. This seems easier to do in the US rather than Canada. This new contract has now come up and sparked our interest again. I'm probably going to be travelling back and forth if we are not all over there and the kids are at an age now (16 &13) where any move would need to be long-term as they will be moving into higher education soon.
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