My wife and I had planned for me to visit up there this June, and I'd work remotely for a month or so before coming back. Well, my work said no, sooo my wife and I decided we're going to do it anyways! I'm leaving my company and going up in June and then we won't have to be separated again! So excited to finally close the distance, and hopefully my PR will follow behind quickly so I'll be able to find work (my wife is ok with me not working and just studying, but I want to help contribute asap). If anyone has done this before or has any advice, I'd love to hear it!
We're going for it!
- Thread starter sgp1986
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Lots of people do this. Health care, not being able to work legally, lots of inconveniences, etc - all thigns that can be dealt with.
But it's a luxury in comparison to situation of many in that you will be with your spouse. Look for work, have meetings, help out in the community, explore. Take a YMCA course on how to fix something.
The one concrete advice: update your address with IRCC. You should be able to land 'virtually.'
You could volunteer at MP's office, maybe you'll get some insight into politics and what's going on and tell the rest of us.
Thanks for the tips. You're right, its a luxury to be able to go up there and I totally am appreciative to be able to close our distance and finish our wait together. The first things you mention are definitely inconvenient, but as you said, nothing that can't be overcome.
I am hoping to find a remote job for a US company, but if not, my wife wants me to just focus on school so I can do that and be able to find a job in the field I want after my PR comes.
You mention school, are you doing on-line classes with a USA school? You need a study permit to study in Canada if it's a CDN school.
Yep its online for a US based school. I guess the best description of it is a much more in-depth bootcamp. Basically between a bootcamp and full on university classes.
I believe you can study online at Canadian schools without a study permit. You may also be able to take courses that are less than 24 weeks long without a study permit.
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To be clear, any work that is being done remotely and being paid to a US bank account is allowed for US citizens visiting Canada? Even if that work could theoretically be done by Canadians (or Australians, Brits, etc.) as well - specifically, I'm thinking of teaching English to Chinese kids online while I wait for PR. I would obviously give my US details to the Chinese company and get paid to that account. I may also do some freelance writing work (for US clients, of course). I don't want to unwittingly work illegally though. Any insight appreciated.
No. - if it can be done by/available to a Canadian you can't do it. If the company has an office or branch in Canada, you can't do it.
If the position would not in anyway be open to a Canadian ( freelance or otherwise) but is for an American - you can do it. You also need to be an independent contractor - and make sure to pay your Canadian taxes! This is a very big grey area.
I was also considering teaching English to Chinese kids and was told it was not allowed because Canadians can do it. :/
On this part, I am going up to Canada early/mid June, but we will be driving back down to the states in July, returning in August. Would I change my address in June, or should I wait and not change it til August when we return?
Fair enough lol. I'm leaning towards waiting until August. I don't know exactly how much information the border agents can see, but I figure if they see that I've changed my address to in Canada, won't bode well for trying to convince them I'm visiting and not moving.
Good point. The only wrinkle I can see is if they give you approval when you are in Canada, may take some time to get it 'switched' to the in-country process. But if you're driving back and forth likely won't make much difference - although not positive.
A few people have had the CBSA at airport (and possibly border?) actually do the landing before they'd received the passport request - ie. they arrived and at the port of entry they just went ahead with the landing process. But I think that was a random thing and not standard.
Oh that would be amazing, I'm assuming you would have to have your DM by then though?
I have no idea what was going on in those cases, perhaps ppr was ready and hadn't been sent, but I don't think it's a standard thing.