Learn that a foreign national in Canada to carry out international business operations is considered a “business visitor ” and is presumed not to join the Canadian job market.
Visitors from business to Canada get particular privileges at work that do not apply to international workers who come to Canada for work. One of these benefits is the ability to work without needing a Canadian working permit.
What is the reason Canada permits business travelers to travel to Canada without work permits?
Canada’s economic success benefits by allowing businesspeople from all over the globe to conduct transactions in Canada. This is because Canada upholds an economy that thrives on cooperation and relationship-building with countries worldwide. From economic partnerships to trade agreements, Canada has reciprocal relationships with numerous countries that permit Canadians to travel to their nations for business. This means that Canada is operating similarly reciprocally because reciprocity is a key element in Canada’s economic growth.
For example, Canada is an official participant in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and the G7 and other organizations like the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA, previously called NAFTA, formerly known as the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA). Canada emphasizes ensuring that international commerce can be effortlessly and seamlessly carried out in Canada.
Also, certain business travelers to Canada can enter Canada and complete their work without requiring authorization to work.
Notice: Business travelers to Canada might require a Temporary Resident’s Visa (TRV) and an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to carry out business there.
What are the requirements foreign nationals must meet to be considered business travelers to Canada?
To allow a foreigner to travel to Canada for business, there are certain requirements they need to demonstrate to Canadian authorities. For instance, prospective business travelers must:
- Show that they will remain in Canada for less than six months.
- Show that they intend to refrain from joining the Canadian labor market.
- Clearly, the business’s primary location, source of income, and main source of profit are outside of Canada.
- Documents that are required to support the application
- Be sure to meet Canada’s basic entry requirements.
About the last item on the list, the basic requirements for entry into Canada comprise the following.
- Possessing legitimate travel documents (ex., passport)
- Being able to afford enough to live in Canada and then return home
- Planning to leave Canada after their stay
- Confirming that there is no security, crime, or health risk for Canadians
The following two sections will provide essential clarity regarding the specific ways in which Canada is divided by business travelers that are planning to visit this country.
Who isn’t considered to be a business traveler in Canada?
It is essential first to define the conditions in which a foreign national visiting to conduct commercial activities within Canada can not be classified as a business visitor.
- Individuals who come to Canada to carry out duties that require hands-on construction and building
- Individuals who come to this country for work under a service contract that is negotiated by an unrelated third person (not orally a Canadian company or an international organization working together) after signing the initial lease or sales agreement
- Foreign nationals who work in Canada are not covered under warranty.
- Suppose the foreign worker entering Canada is employed by an international business directly contracted to provide services by an Canadian organization. In this instance, an agreement between the Canadian and a global company signifies admission to the Canadian labor market.
Ex. If the Canadian business contracts with a U.S. organization, and the U.S. company were to send a team on-site in Canada, this means that U.S. team members are employed in Canada and that the international company receives compensation for their participation in the job. In this scenario, American citizens would not be able to qualify as business guests.
Who is considered to be a tourist in Canada?
In contrast, here are a couple of circumstances where foreign nationals who come to Canada are thought to be part of the definition of a business visit.
- Repair and maintenance of individuals installing, supervising installers, installing (not including hands-on installation, like the pipefitting), and testing industrial or commercial equipment (ex., computer software)
- Individuals who wish to repair or service equipment bought or leased from outside Canada insofar as the services performed are included in the original lease/sales contract or warranty.
- People who perform a software upgrade on previously leased or sold equipment
- Individuals are installing, configuring, or instructing others to upgrade software.
- Individuals who are coming to Canada to manage warranties and service agreements when the contracts have been negotiated as a part of the sale/lease/rental contract or as an expansion of the original contract
What things can eligible business travelers do when they’re in Canada?
In keeping with the previously mentioned details, here are diverse activities that a traveler to Canada could take part in during their stay in Canada. Business travelers can participate in the following:
- Participate in business meetings, conferences, fairs, conventions
- Purchase Canadian products and services for an overseas entity
- Place orders for items or services.
- Offer after-sales services (excluding hands-on construction work)
- Learn from a Canadian parent company to work in other countries. Canada
- Training for employees of a Canadian company subsidiary of another firm.
