Blue Bird Blog

Do you want to come to Canada as a digital nomad?

In June, Canada announced the launch of the Tech Talent Strategy. Part of the strategy was to promote Canada as a destination for digital nomads. A digital nomad is a person who can perform their job remotely from anywhere in the world.
Under current Canadian immigration rules, a digital nomad only needs visitor status to relocate to Canada for up to six months at a time while they perform their job remotely for a foreign employer.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has said that in the coming months, they will collaborate with public and private partners to determine whether additional policies to attract digital nomads would be desirable.

IRCC expects that some digital nomads who initially enter Canada to work remotely will decide to seek job opportunities with Canadian employers. If they receive a job offer from a Canadian company, they can bring their skills to a Canadian employer by applying for a temporary work permit or even Canadian permanent residence.

What is the application process?

The Canadian government has not released much information on the application process. However, since these digital nomads only need visitor status to relocate to Canada for up to six months, they would simply need to enter the country as a visitor.

If you are a digital nomad or remote worker, you can apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). A TRV is required for foreign nationals who are not from a visa-exempt country.

Your application will need to disclose information that would convince the deciding officer that your remote work is not captured under Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulation’s (IRPR) definition of work.

The definition is as follows: “work” means an activity for which wages are paid or commission is earned, or that is in direct competition with the activities of Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the Canadian labour market.”

Essentially, the digital nomad or domestic worker would need to demonstrate that their remote work does not take an opportunity away from a Canadian or permanent resident. Standard application requisites would be included in an application, such as proof of financials.

On the other hand, if you are from a visa-exempt country, you can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). ETA- eligible applicants would disclose that they intend to work remotely for their employer.

In both situations, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) makes a decision at the Canadian border entry point and has the discretion to determine how long you can stay in Canada. If CBSA approves your entry, you may work remotely in Canada without having to secure a Canadian work permit.

Source: cicnews.com

Work

How long will it take to become a permanent resident of Canada in 2024?

Foreign nationals seeking permanent residence (PR) in Canada often look for the fastest pathway to achieving their goal and starting a new life in this country.
On a basic level, Canada has four primary immigration classes: economic immigration, family-class sponsorship, humanitarian/compassionate immigration and immigration for refugees/protected persons.
However, within those four general classifications, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides foreign nationals with more than 100 ways to immigrate to Canada.

Finding a job in Ontario

Recently the Ontario provincial government chose to make it illegal for employers to require Canadian work experience in their job advertisements, in addition to making it mandatory for all job postings to feature salaries.
Both steps represent victories, not just for the Ontario labour force (who will now be able to see how the potential salary of a job compares to provincial and national averages); but especially for newcomers to Ontario—who are often held back from roles and professions they are qualified for, based on their lack of Canadian experience.
Considering these two changes, CIC News has compiled the following guide for newcomers looking for a job in Ontario.

Ontario looking to ban employers from requiring Canadian work experience on application forms and in job postings

In a first-of-its-kind move among all Canadian provinces and territories, Ontario has announced its intention to introduce new legislation that would, if passed, ban employers from requiring “Canadian work experience … in job postings or application forms.”
Announced today, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development hopes this new legislation will help more newcomers fill in-demand labour shortages across the province.

Canadian federal court denies work permit based on IELTS score

A citizen of Iran was a home design and renovation manager for seven years. In 2022, she signed an employment contract to work as a Residential Home Builder with a construction company located in Vancouver. The job duties and responsibilities included planning and preparing work schedules, selecting and employing trade subcontractors and managing budgets.

IRCC to review the Post-Graduation Work Permit for first time in 10 years

On October 27th, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced changes to its International Student Program that will be implemented in the coming months to strengthen the program and protect students from fraud.
The measures will require Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) to confirm every applicant’s letter of acceptance directly with IRCC in order to ensure that study permits are issued based only on genuine letters of acceptance.
By the 2024 fall semester, IRCC will adopt a “recognized institution” framework that will be benefit DLIs in a variety of ways, such as priority processing of study permit applications.

Five pathways for tech talent in the U.S. to come to Canada

There are many ways for technology sector workers in the U.S. to come to Canada for work, after which this country also provides these individuals with several pathways to Canadian permanent residence (PR).
Canada has a well-documented need for skilled workers in the tech industry, evidenced most recently by the introduction of category-based Express Entry draws for five different occupational groups.