You are eligible to submit an application for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) if you are a digital nomad or work remotely. Foreign nationals who are not citizens of a country that is exempt from visa requirements are required to obtain a TRV.
Your application will need to provide facts that could persuade the determining officer that the work you do from a remote location does not fall under the definition of work provided in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).
The following is how the term “work” is defined: “work” refers to any activity for which one receives salaries or commissions, or which is in direct competition with the activities of Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the Canadian labor market.”
In essence, the digital nomad or domestic worker would have to demonstrate that the distant labor they undertake does not deprive a Canadian or permanent resident of an opportunity. An application would include all of the standard application requirements, such as evidence that one’s finances are in order.
On the other hand, if you are a citizen of a nation that does not need its citizens to have visas, you are eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Applicants who are eligible for ETA would be required to state that they plan to work remotely for their company.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) makes a determination at the point of entrance into Canada regarding how long you are permitted to remain in the country in either scenario. This decision is left up to the agency’s discretion. If the CBSA grants you access, you will be allowed to work remotely in Canada without the need to get a work permit from the Canadian government.
