BC PNP – Employer Physical Presence for Remote Job

[Capycap]

I work 100% remotely as a software engineer and live in Vancouver. My employer is a remote-first company, incorporated in BC and holding a Vancouver municipal business license. However, their registered BC address is a virtual office/mailbox, not a place where employees work daily.

The company allows employees to use coworking spaces, but there is no dedicated or permanent office in Vancouver. My employment contract states that I work from my home office.

BC PNP mentions that employers must have an ongoing fixed place of business in BC where employees can physically report to work, and I’m not sure how this is interpreted for remote-first companies.

Is a virtual office + optional coworking access generally acceptable for BC PNP, or is this considered risky?

 

[scylla]

I work 100% remotely as a software engineer and live in Vancouver. My employer is a remote-first company, incorporated in BC and holding a Vancouver municipal business license. However, their registered BC address is a virtual office/mailbox, not a place where employees work daily.

The company allows employees to use coworking spaces, but there is no dedicated or permanent office in Vancouver. My employment contract states that I work from my home office.

BC PNP mentions that employers must have an ongoing fixed place of business in BC where employees can physically report to work, and I’m not sure how this is interpreted for remote-first companies.

Is a virtual office + optional coworking access generally acceptable for BC PNP, or is this considered risky?

Speak with an immigration lawyer before you apply. Your employer may not meet the requirements of the program.

 

[beigebeanie]

Hey! wonder if you have any updates on this, I'm also in a similar position where the company is registered in BC but without a physical office. We have a coworking space that we book on demand

 

[gelgoals]

In my humble and unsolicited opinion, I believe that you should "live and work" in the city you are claiming points for. As long as you have sufficient evidence that your work is supported by your company(In my case I asked my manager and HR to provide me a letter of accommodation that allowed me to relocate and claim points for area 3. I have submitted my bc pnp application but have not get any status update yet. Hoping that this point is not really an issue otherwise all our efforts relocating here in Area 3 would be futile.