Coming to Canada and be self-employed or start own company

[mark2canada]

Hello,

I have been trying to find some information about moving to Canada and working as consultant/freelancer or even start my own company rather than working for a Canadian company.
Would I have to do a "Business Immigration" to do this or could I do it as a skilled worker too?

I did the CIC self assessment test for skilled workers and got well over 67 points. Instead of finding a job first and then moving to Canada, I was thinking it might be easier to move there first and then look for jobs locally. In the meantime, I could work remotely for my old company in the US to support myself and/or also do project-based work for Canadian companies. I am working in the internet- and software-development area, so working remotely or on consultant-basis would be relatively easy. However, I have no clue about what the requirements or rules are regarding this.
Depending on what the requirements are, I might even have the option to open a canadian subsidiary of the US company I work for now...

Does anybody have some pointers to websites or articles for me?

Thanks in advance...

-mark-

 

[ErolU]

Hello,

I have been trying to find some information about moving to Canada and working as consultant/freelancer or even start my own company rather than working for a Canadian company.
Would I have to do a "Business Immigration" to do this or could I do it as a skilled worker too?

I did the CIC self assessment test for skilled workers and got well over 67 points. Instead of finding a job first and then moving to Canada, I was thinking it might be easier to move there first and then look for jobs locally. In the meantime, I could work remotely for my old company in the US to support myself and/or also do project-based work for Canadian companies. I am working in the internet- and software-development area, so working remotely or on consultant-basis would be relatively easy. However, I have no clue about what the requirements or rules are regarding this.
Depending on what the requirements are, I might even have the option to open a canadian subsidiary of the US company I work for now...

Does anybody have some pointers to websites or articles for me?

Thanks in advance...

-mark-

Hi,

I'm nearly in the same situation and was wondering if you have found any information about working as freelancer for the canadian companies. I'm already here in CA (Vancouver) and would like to work as a freelancer like I was doing back in GER. Would be nice if could provide any usefull informations you've found.

Best regards,
Erol

 

[thaiguy]

Can't work in Canada without a work permit, permanent residency or citizenship - including "freelancing." If you come here and look for work, the employer offering you a job would need to get a labour market opinion to determine that employing you wouldn't adversely affect the rest of the job market.

As to living in Canada while working for a foreign company, it is legal. But it has to be a real foreign company, with all of its operations outside of Canada. If you set up a foreign company 'in name only' with all of the equipment and work taking place in Canada, you're breaking the law.

 

[mark2canada]

Hi thayguy,

that sounds like a similar process as for the US.

However, as a freelancer or owner of your own company, you naturally do not have an employer.
How is the process in that situation?

Thanks,

-mark-