Moving to Windsor but working remote from Detroit for company based in Maryland - will be commuting to Detroit to work from shared office location

[Sree G]

Hello everyone,
I apologize in advance if this scenario was covered in detail elsewhere in the forum! This forum has really grown into a massive and hugely popular guide.. so if I am posting a repeat question , I beg your pardon ..

I am finally moving to Windsor , Ontario mid October as a PR holder(Soft landing completed in Dec 2018) . I currently work for an organization in Maryland , but the org is allowing me to work remote from Detroit . Since I access competitive info as part of my job, my employer is okay allowing me to work remote but only from within the US .. namely Detroit and not from home in Windsor.
My h1b amendment was also done to show my new remote location on the Detroit side. I have an approved 797 to this effect.
I will be dropping my passport for h1b stamping once I cross over to Windsor in October . (I am eligible for drop box as I had my previous stamping in Ottawa)

Questions :
1) Is anyone here doing this ? where they commute from Canada to US on a regular basis , and work remotely from within US while their Org is located elsewhere in the US ?

2) On the US side , once I start commuting to my work location in Detroit from Windsor , given the Covid restriction in place - will the fact that my work location is Detroit but the employer is in Maryland , be construed as being "non essential" hence - should I expect any problems there from US CBP ?

1) On the canadian side , as I return home each day - will the fact that I don't have a pre established pattern of cross border commute - will it make me ineligible for the pre-arrival covid test waiver ? My worry is I start working in Detroit Oct 22 , I would have established residence in Canada on Oct 15th - obviously I am not going to have pre established cross border commuting pattern before that - my worry is will this be a reason why the canadian border personnel may not treat me as a cross border worker and hence may expect me to have pre arrival covid tests ?

anybody here in this forum .. started cross border commuting recently ? can you please share your experience ?

any input would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks and Regards
SG

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello everyone,
I apologize in advance if this scenario was covered in detail elsewhere in the forum! This forum has really grown into a massive and hugely popular guide.. so if I am posting a repeat question , I beg your pardon ..

I am finally moving to Windsor , Ontario mid October as a PR holder(Soft landing completed in Dec 2018) . I currently work for an organization in Maryland , but the org is allowing me to work remote from Detroit . Since I access competitive info as part of my job, my employer is okay allowing me to work remote but only from within the US .. namely Detroit and not from home in Windsor.
My h1b amendment was also done to show my new remote location on the Detroit side. I have an approved 797 to this effect.
I will be dropping my passport for h1b stamping once I cross over to Windsor in October . (I am eligible for drop box as I had my previous stamping in Ottawa)

Questions :
1) Is anyone here doing this ? where they commute from Canada to US on a regular basis , and work remotely from within US while their Org is located elsewhere in the US ?

2) On the US side , once I start commuting to my work location in Detroit from Windsor , given the Covid restriction in place - will the fact that my work location is Detroit but the employer is in Maryland , be construed as being "non essential" hence - should I expect any problems there from US CBP ?

3) On the canadian side , as I return home each day - will the fact that I don't have a pre established pattern of cross border commute - will it make me ineligible for the pre-arrival covid test waiver ? My worry is I start working in Detroit Oct 22 , I would have established residence in Canada on Oct 15th - obviously I am not going to have pre established cross border commuting pattern before that - my worry is will this be a reason why the canadian border personnel may not treat me as a cross border worker and hence may expect me to have pre arrival covid tests ?

anybody here in this forum .. started cross border commuting recently ? can you please share your experience ?

any input would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks and Regards
SG

2. There is no covid restriction on any side even during peak pandemic. Any kind of worker was and is being allowed - No test/quarantine on any side.
3. You dont need to establish commuting pattern as someone one has start during which there wont be pattern. So deal with your pattern establishment when you are actually required to commute rather than wasting time and money for do it early which is of no use. As you will anyway encounter frequent secondary inspection during the first few days/weeks, you cant avoid it till they know you.

Dont assume. Just call the border or browse the official sites to know if you have quarantine/test. Dont plan based on assumption.