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Business Visitors – Work Without A Work Permit

Business visitors are the international candidates coming to Canada to conduct or be a part of the business activities and do not intend to enter the Canadian labor market. They do not need to secure a work permit.

Canada, because of its various agreements like NAFTA, exchange programs, and visa reciprocities, attracts a large number of business visitors every year. Canada, being one of the biggest economies across the world, is home to numerous short-term business activities.

These visitors come to Canada for several reasons. Few of them are listed below-

Buying goods or services or taking orders for the same on behalf of a foreign company
Providing after-sales services
To give or receive a business training
To attend business conferences, conventions, meetings, etc

These businessmen can enter Canada to conduct their trade activity without securing a work permit.

GENERAL OUTLINE

Business visitors are required to demonstrate that –

They would not enter the labor market, and the central location of the business is outside Canada.
Their stay in Canada won’t exceed six months.
They have a valid passport and supporting documents.
They have sufficient funds for their visit.
They do not have any criminal records, and their activities would not render any health risk to Canadians.

Some of them may require a TRV based on their nationalities.

Warranty or service agreement

The contracts must have been extended or negotiated upon or as a part of the sales or lease agreements to fall under a service agreement. The foreign nationals entering Canada due to these contracts would be known as business visitors.

If the contract is work-related and involves a third party, the work permit and LMIA authorization would be needed by the foreign national to enter the Canadian labor market and is not covered under warranty.

AFTER-SALES OR LEASE SERVICES

There is a category of visitors who come to Canada for after-sales services. They are the business visitors, not needing to secure a work permit. Such situations are as follows-

Repairing and servicing, supervising installers
Setting up and testing equipment (commercial or industrial)
Setting up computer software and give training for the same
The services performed as part of the sales agreement, lease/rental agreement, and warranty or service contract

However, these provisions do not extend to the construction work and hands-on training or job.

Individuals not considered business visitors

Whenever a Canadian company has ties with foreign countries for services, the workers from abroad are not considered as business visitors. They work in Canada under the Canadian work permit. The case of employees entering Canada through NAFTA is also considered under this provision. The foreign workers under these streams directly enter the Canadian Labor Market and are paid according to the Canadian payment system. Hence, they would not be seen as mere business visitors.