Ok so my situation is:
UK citizen with a UK job with UK-only company. My wife is UK/Canadian citizen and we are emigrating in 3 months. I work remotely and my employer is happy for me to continue working remotely from Canada. I am applying for PR now so will not get it before we emigrate (London 29 months currently).
As I see it I will go through 2 or 3 stages:
My question is do I need a work permit right from the moment I arrive and through the entire process? In step 1 I am a visitor to the country and hence presumably still officially a resident of the UK doing a UK job for UK employer, paid in UK, but physically located in Canada while doing the work. Am I still not allowed to do this (akin to a holidaying brit doing some remote work for their UK company afaics?) without a work permit?
At first the answer seems obviously no, but then reading the various literature it always seems to be referring to working for Canadian employer, impact on Canadian labour market, restricting opportunities for Canadian citizens etc. As this is a a UK job which I already fill there is no cost to Canadian labour market, indeed it seems like a perfect inhabitant from government perspective:
Anyway putting aside the philosophy, is it still the case that I cannot perform work for my UK employer while living in Canada without a work permit? What about when I have an OWP application pending (implied status?). I plan to apply for an OWP at the same time as PR, but from what I can tell may not have it approved before I arrive in Canada.
It would be ridiculous if I have to give up my UK job because I cannot work for them between the point I arrive and the point the OWP paperwork comes through - but is it still so?
Any advice appreciated,
Dai
UK citizen with a UK job with UK-only company. My wife is UK/Canadian citizen and we are emigrating in 3 months. I work remotely and my employer is happy for me to continue working remotely from Canada. I am applying for PR now so will not get it before we emigrate (London 29 months currently).
As I see it I will go through 2 or 3 stages:
- 1 In canada as a visitor
- 2 PR application accepted in principle (or whatever the term is?)
- 3 PR approved/finalised (hopefully)
My question is do I need a work permit right from the moment I arrive and through the entire process? In step 1 I am a visitor to the country and hence presumably still officially a resident of the UK doing a UK job for UK employer, paid in UK, but physically located in Canada while doing the work. Am I still not allowed to do this (akin to a holidaying brit doing some remote work for their UK company afaics?) without a work permit?
At first the answer seems obviously no, but then reading the various literature it always seems to be referring to working for Canadian employer, impact on Canadian labour market, restricting opportunities for Canadian citizens etc. As this is a a UK job which I already fill there is no cost to Canadian labour market, indeed it seems like a perfect inhabitant from government perspective:
- No rights in Canada (until PR progresses)
- Paying tax in Canada (possibly?)
- Spending income in Canada
- Not taking up a Canadian job
Anyway putting aside the philosophy, is it still the case that I cannot perform work for my UK employer while living in Canada without a work permit? What about when I have an OWP application pending (implied status?). I plan to apply for an OWP at the same time as PR, but from what I can tell may not have it approved before I arrive in Canada.
It would be ridiculous if I have to give up my UK job because I cannot work for them between the point I arrive and the point the OWP paperwork comes through - but is it still so?
Any advice appreciated,
Dai