Voluntary work in Canada while awaiting my PR

[FromFebruary]

Right now I'm in Canada as a visitor until mid December, house sitting for my friends and exploring the area. Since I want to settle down in this region as soon as I get my PR, I'm also orientating myself on employment. However, I obviously cannot (and definitely will not!) work yet.

My friends daughter works in the same field I worked in in my home country (education). I asked her if her school or any school in the school district could use help from a volunteer for a day or two. It would be a great way for me to start familiarizing myself with the Canadian school system, I'd love to do something useful with all the free time that I have and from my own experience; an extra pair of hands are always welcome in a school.

It's not a position that could otherwise be filled by a Canadian/Permanent Resident, such as a teaching position or teachings assistant. First of all, I would need to have a BC certification for that, which I don't. It's really just the same thing parents/grandparents would do when they're helping in the school: helping with craft projects, helping with field trips, cleaning up the library etc.

I can't find much useful information from IRCC that helps me decide whether I can do this, other than:

Work is any activity that:

• you are paid to do, or
• you are not paid to do but is a job that:
  • you would usually be paid for, or
  • would be a valuable work experience for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (for example, an unpaid intern).

As said, it's unpaid and nobody would usually be paid for it ánd it's not a specific job (thus no valuable work experience, I guess?).

I would love to do it, but I also really don't want to take ANY risks with my PR application going on. Do you think I should just call IRCC and, in all honesty, ask my question? Or maybe send a question through web form, so I'll have a written reply?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

Right now I'm in Canada as a visitor until mid December, house sitting for my friends and exploring the area. Since I want to settle down in this region as soon as I get my PR, I'm also orientating myself on employment. However, I obviously cannot (and definitely will not!) work yet.

My friends daughter works in the same field I worked in in my home country (education). I asked her if her school or any school in the school district could use help from a volunteer for a day or two. It would be a great way for me to start familiarizing myself with the Canadian school system, I'd love to do something useful with all the free time that I have and from my own experience; an extra pair of hands are always welcome in a school.

It's not a position that could otherwise be filled by a Canadian/Permanent Resident, such as a teaching position or teachings assistant. First of all, I would need to have a BC certification for that, which I don't. It's really just the same thing parents/grandparents would do when they're helping in the school: helping with craft projects, helping with field trips, cleaning up the library etc.

I can't find much useful information from IRCC that helps me decide whether I can do this, other than:

Work is any activity that:

• you are paid to do, or
• you are not paid to do but is a job that:
  • you would usually be paid for, or
  • would be a valuable work experience for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident (for example, an unpaid intern).

As said, it's unpaid and nobody would usually be paid for it ánd it's not a specific job (thus no valuable work experience, I guess?).

I would love to do it, but I also really don't want to take ANY risks with my PR application going on. Do you think I should just call IRCC and, in all honesty, ask my question? Or maybe send a question through web form, so I'll have a written reply?

Generally, as long as Canadians are doing the same volunteer position, it's fine.