Do I need really a Work Permit? H1B Employed in US

[cheegs]

Hello all.
I'm a foreign employed in the US under a H1B visa. My company has a project in Canada that I'll be managing. Our client in Canada says I need a work permit, and that a business visa won't be enough as per its company policy (I already have a Canadian business visa). I will be working for the American company at all times, going to Canada for 1 or 2 weeks every month or two. The purpose of these trips is to have meetings with the client about the project. Someone can please advise if I do need a work permit under these circumstances, and if I do, what is the process to get one?

 

[jes_ON]

Hmmm... you sound like a business visitor to me, no work permit required by CIC; in fact, without a Canadian employer, it's hard to see how you would even qualify for a work permit. It's hard to understand how a company can hire a US company and then require that company's personnel to have a Canadian work permit, so I'm at a loss...

 

[fkl]

Full agreed with what Jes_ON has said.

You should ask the client if they would be "employing you directly" and paying you and NOT your company. There is no way to get a work permit without that.

And to get that your client has to apply for an LMO for you which appears ridiculous to me in this situation.

P.S. i am in the reverse situation i.e. i work for a company in Canada all of whose clients are in the US. Many of us frequently travel to the US on client meetings / occasionally for some issue resolution for a few weeks too.

At all times we are employed by the Canadian employer, and are not paid any thing by the US client. No one has ever needed a work permit. What we all use is B1/B2 visas.