davidrwalton

I have tried to do some research, in order to find out if I can set up a Canadian Inc company as a part of my UK Ltd Company.

I am an IT contractor with specialist skills, but I have been unable to secure employment in Alberta either permanent or contract in the last few years of trying, seems like IT is not suffering any lack of skilled staff like the UK.

I do not wish to submit an application for permanent residency until I see a few more opportunities advertised on the Canadian jobsites which utilise my skills. I also don't see much potential in securing a work visa at the moment.

I thought if i could set up a Canadian company and then sort out my own work visa it may give me more chance to take up Canadian contract opportunities.

Anyone got any thoughts or advice on this

JezHarper

Hi David,

Someone will be along to tell you why you can't set up a Canadian business to employ you. I know you can't do it, but I can't remember why.

What are your specialist skills? Do have Oil and Gas company experience? Why have you decided on Alberta?

As for not being able to get a job, there is a shortage of skilled IT staff, but that doesn't mean that employers will automatically take a risk on people from overseas Also, you are not likely to see much of an increase in jobs advertised because, unlike the UK, very few jobs are advertised; most jobs are by word of mouth, candidates visiting companies and selling themselves.

Have a look at this thread: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=354398

Cheers

Jez

Andrew Miller

if you are thinking of setting up company in Canada for the purpose of getting work permit then it won't work as you would wish.

Company must be in operation for at least 12 months and have other employees for at least same period before being able to apply to HRSDC for lmo for job offer for foreign worker, providing of course that company will also prove being unable to find Canadian candidate for the job.

Setting it up as a part of UK company for the purpose of using the intracomany transfer route will not work either if you are the sole employee of your UK company.

JezHarper

Andrew, Humour me on this please My limited company, employs myself and my wife, could I set up a Canadian company for the purpose of intracompany transfer?

Andrew Miller

Will company continue full operation in UK and will continue having employees in UK after your transfer to Canada? If not then not a chance. You must document that company in UK is large enough to operate and continue to employ others without you and your spouse being there. How can you do it if you and your wife are only employees?

JezHarper

Thanks Andrew,

It wouldn't work for me, and many UK IT contractors, but for those working through umbrella companies, it might be an option to consider.

Personally, I think it would be a very brave person who set up a Canadian company to provide their IT skills through with no Canadian experience. The chances of getting a contract would be very slim. A very big risk if they are banking on success to be able to get their PR.

dbd33

I don't think you'd need a Canadian company. I'm a contractor incorporated in Canada and the US. In the past five years I've worked in : the US, the UK, Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Malaysia and, I suppose, other places I've forgotten. I just billed the clients from Canada (or sometimes the US). I act as a pimp for a mate based in DC, he's recently worked for me in Montreal and Edmonton and we just billed that from my US company. Unless you're actually moving to Canada I'd think an incorporation here is just $500 wasted.

JezHarper

The idea was to incorporate a Canadian company as a means to move to Canada.

davidrwalton

Thanks to everyone ! I did not expect a response so quickly.

I guessed this would be a closed loophole. I had heard rumor that this was a usable route to a green card in the US but the source of that information is not always know for his accuracy

My skills are in a new product in the HP openview suite called Radia, this was previously owned by a French company called Novadigm (They did have a Canadian Office They had no vacancies last time i got in touch with them via a Novadigm UK employee)

Radia is widely used in the UK on Government contracts where there is a skills shortage.

I know BC Hydro in Vancouver use it (Think their IT is outsourced to Acenture though, I have no contacts for them ) but my resume has been sent to them !

I also have MS Systems Management Server experience but I hardly ever see these vacancies advertised even though its more widely used.

I think we may be going out in October this year for a serious job hunting session. We went last year but did not seem to make much progress finding jobs. As I said in my initial post I feel uncomfortable putting in permanent residency application until I can see a realistic chance of getting a job which is close to my current skillset. I would shift PC's etc and get dirty (but even these jobs seem to be rare) but at least i would be making contacts in the right places.

How much work is involved for the employer to get a work visa, it seems everytime i get close to getting to interview stage as soon as they find out i need a visa the doors close !

Is IT contracting in Canada similar to UK, in that you are required to have a Limited or Incorporated company and have liability insurance etc.

Alberta, because I have immediate and extended family there!

Thanks

Dave Walton

dbd33

Oh. I suppose in practise you could just do it. That is, if some firm will give you a contract through your company elsewhere, you could just start working. That's pretty much what my brother did, he'd been here six or seven years before he had any papers. All dreadfully illegal, of course.

dbd33

Yes you need a company. No you don't need insurance. Generally it's like the UK before IR35.

JezHarper

Hi Dave,

dbd33 has already responded regarding IT contracting / insurance.

You may have to take a leap of faith and make the move to Canada before getting a job. It is very difficult to find work from outside Canada, it does happen, but not by posting out hundreds of Resumes.

Define immediate family. Have you looked into family sponsorship?

Cheers

Jez

sydney

Hi Dave
This idea may not be the closed loophole that you think. My husband and I set up a company (an Incorporation) and it employs me. That is how we got to Canada on a work permit.
I am not quite sure how our lawyer did it but you have to draw up a business plan for your company with the showing a clear intention to employ Canadians as soon as possible. Then this has to then get HRDC approval. It you manage to get this you can then apply for a work permit for yourself as an employee of the company (the company does not have to be going for 12 months).
You sound like you know exactly what you are doing with your business so I'm sure that it wouldn't be too hard. I am not sure whether there is a certain amount of money that they would like invested but we did not invest the amount required for the business entrepeneur class.
I would recommend using a lawyer though as I don't think that we would have got it without one. If you want the name of my lawyer, just let me know.

davidrwalton

My Dad, his wife (my stepmother) and my aunt.

I easily score 75 points and could put my application in, but reading Canada news and other online forums paints a reallly bad picture of what IT jobs are available to landed or non landed immigrants. Its an expensive, time consuming process to go through immigration and too many people go and end in working in bars or waiting tables just to gain Canadian work experience - that's not me. I would be hopeless. I'm an IT geek and thats all i know , apart from my Degree which is Polymer Science (who uses their degree anyways!).

Liability insurance has little to do with IR35, It's in case you bugger something up (gross negligence) it means the client can sue you to recover the cost of putting things right! I assume there is some equivalent in Canada ?

Dave Walton

sydney

Hi Dave
You said that you have tried to get jobs but once they discover that you don't have a visa they don't want to know, doesn't that tell you that if you already had your PPR (despite the long wait) you would be able to get interviews with no problem. Once you are in Canada you will find it much easier to get a job. My husband couldn't find many jobs advertised in the area that we live but once we got here, it was much easier. Like someone else said much of it is word of mouth.
As I said in my earlier reply, you would probably be able to get in with the company angle also.
To be really honest, you don't sound as though you really want to move over here. Perhaps you should decide whether you do anf then if the answer is really yes, I am sure that you will find a way.