Canada digital nomad visa: Your guide to working remotely in the great white north

Canada has become a hotspot for location-independent professionals, and the Canada digital nomad visa is at the center of this trend. While it isn’t a standalone visa, IRCC’s policy allows digital nomads to enter on a visitor status and work for foreign employers. This flexible setup makes it simple to stay up to six months and test life in Canadian cities. With minimal barriers to entry, the program is quickly attracting remote workers from around the world.

This article is brought to you by Taxes for Expats – we help Americans abroad navigate changing tax rules with clarity and confidence. Whether you are preparing your income tax return or deciding how to structure overseas transfers, TFX ensures you stay compliant while minimizing stress. If Canada is on your horizon, our team can help you align your tax strategy with your remote work.

Canada’s digital nomad path to remote work

Canada presents an opportunity for global professionals through policy rather than a dedicated digital nomad visa. The framework falls under the government’s Tech Talent Strategy, designed to attract skilled individuals while keeping immigration flexible. Within this model, visitors are permitted to work online for foreign employers without entering the Canadian labour market.

Most stays are capped at six months, though extensions may be possible with a visitor record. Travelers from visa-exempt countries typically apply for an eTA, while others require a visitor visa starting at CAN$100. This structure makes it feasible to live in Canada as a remote worker, enjoying the lifestyle without needing a Canadian job.

However, if a digital nomad later secures employment with a Canadian company, they must apply for the appropriate work permit before beginning local work.

Who qualifies to enter as a digital nomad

Canada does not issue a digital nomad visa; eligible visitors use existing pathways instead. Below is a concise checklist that previews status limits, work rules, and provincial wrinkles, so the rest of your planning starts on solid ground.

1. Foreign employer or self-employment
   You need income from outside Canada, either as a salaried staff member or as a contractor, while you’re in Canada. You qualify as a remote worker when your duties and pay are entirely tied to a non-Canadian business, and you do not need a work permit for this arrangement.
2. Length of stay and extensions
   Most visitors are admitted for up to six months per entry, though a border officer can allow less or more. To remain longer, apply online for a visitor record at least 30 days before your current status expires.
3. No Canadian labour-market entry
   You cannot take a job with a Canadian employer unless you first obtain the appropriate work permit. This visitor-based option sits within Canada’s Tech Talent Strategy, and if you do land a local offer, you must apply for a permit before starting work.
4. Quebec and provincial specifics
   If you later switch to employment in Quebec under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, your employer will need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate before a work permit can be issued. Digital nomads who remain on visitor status and foreign payrolls do not need a CAQ, and other provinces follow federal rules for visitors.

NOTE! Your entry document depends on your nationality. Many visa-exempt travellers flying to Canada need an eTA (CAD 7), while others require a visitor visa (from CAD 100). Whichever document you carry, you must still satisfy visitor intent and funds while you work remotely for an employer outside Canada.

Guide to Canada for remote visitor entry

Here is your fast path to apply under the Canada digital nomad visa concept using the IRCC visitor status. Below you will find the required documents, a clear step-by-step application, and the processing times and fees you should expect.

Step 1: Confirm what you need to enter Canada based on your passport and travel method. A remote worker from a visa-exempt country who flies usually needs an eTA, while US citizens travel with a valid US passport only.

Step 2: Under the Tech Talent Strategy, IRCC treats digital nomads as visitors who can stay up to six months while working for a foreign employer. You may work remotely in Canada if your employer is outside Canada and you do not enter the Canadian labor market.

Step 3: Gather a valid passport, proof of funds such as recent bank statements and payslips, your travel plan, and proof that you work for a non-Canadian employer or have freelance income. If you apply for a visitor visa, use document checklist IMM 5484 to keep your file complete.

Step 4: Apply online for an eTA for CAN$7 or a visitor visa for CAN$100, choosing the option that matches your nationality and travel mode. Most eTA decisions arrive within minutes, and an approved eTA stays valid for up to five years or until your passport expires. Pay the fee in the IRCC system and ensure your passport details match exactly.

Step 5: Many visitor visa applicants must give biometrics and pay CAN$85 per person or CAN$170 per family applying together. Wait for your biometrics instruction letter, then book an appointment at a VAC and bring your passport and payment proof. Biometrics are generally valid for 10 years, so you may not need to give them again within that period.

Step 6: Check the current IRCC processing time tool for the estimate that applies to your application type and country. Processing time starts when IRCC receives your complete application and ends when a decision is made, and the calculation includes the time to give biometrics. eTA decisions often arrive quickly, but visitor visa timelines vary widely by visa office.

Step 7: At the border, most visitors are admitted for up to six months, but an officer can allow less or more and will note the date you must leave. You must respect that date or apply to extend before your status expires. As a digital nomad, do not work for a Canadian employer without proper authorization.

Step 8: The temporary policy that let visitors apply for a work permit from inside Canada ended on August 28, 2024, and visitors are generally not eligible to apply from inside Canada now. If you need more time as a visitor, apply online for a visitor record before your current status expires.

Tax and legal basics for digital nomads

Living in Canada temporarily while earning abroad brings more than just scenic views – it also raises tax and legal questions. The sections below explain how residency is determined, how treaties protect you, and what practical steps help you avoid double taxation.

How does Canada decide if you are a tax resident?

Canada looks first at significant residential ties – think home, spouse or common-law partner, and dependants – and then at secondary ties. Spend 183 days or more in Canada in a calendar year and, if you aren’t treaty-resident elsewhere, you can be a deemed resident for Canadian tax.

If a digital nomad is treaty-resident in another country, they may be treated as a deemed non-resident of Canada. Accepting a Canadian job triggers different rules and generally requires a work permit before you start.

Practical ways to avoid double taxation

Your toolkit blends US expat relief with Canadian rules – use what fits your facts, document everything, and keep day counts tight. For 2025, the US foreign earned income exclusion cap is $130,000; combine it thoughtfully with credits and treaty provisions.

• Claim the foreign earned income exclusion on Form 2555 if you meet the bona fide residence or physical presence test. Pair it with housing exclusion where applicable.
• Use the foreign tax credit (Form 1116) when paying Canadian income tax – crediting foreign tax often beats excluding income once your earnings exceed the FEIE cap.
• Avoid creating a Canadian permanent establishment (no fixed place of business or dependent agent in Canada) so treaty rules keep your business profits taxed at home.
• Secure a certificate of coverage under the US–Canada Totalization Agreement to prevent dual Social Security contributions. Keep proof from the SSA or the Canada Pension Plan office.

When treaties decide where you pay

The Canada–US convention uses tie-breaker tests (permanent home, centre of vital interests, habitual abode, nationality) to assign one country of residence when both claim you. A remote worker without a Canadian permanent establishment typically keeps business profits taxable only in their home state.

If the two countries still disagree, you can request help through the treaty’s Mutual Agreement Procedure. Many countries market a digital nomad visa, but Canada relies on visitor status plus existing treaty relief to prevent double tax.

Working online from Canada? See the US digital nomad tax side before you go

Read more

Extend your stay and explore residency routes

If you arrived as a visitor under what many call the Canada digital nomad visa, here’s how to lawfully remain longer and map your next move. This section covers keeping your status valid now and stepping into options that can lead to permanent residence later.

1. Prolonging or updating your visitor status
   As a remote worker who remains employed by a foreign company, request a visitor record before your current stay ends to keep a lawful status in Canada. IRCC recommends applying at least 30 days before expiry.
2. Moving to a work authorization or permanent residence
   If you move from the digital nomad visa concept into Canadian employment, you must secure the correct authorization before you start. Options include a work permit via the Global Skills Strategy. For permanent residence, Express Entry continues to run category-based rounds (including STEM-focused draws in 2025), and a digital nomad who later gains Canadian work experience can become competitive.

The steps above help you extend lawfully now and transition when a Canadian job or nomination is in hand. Next, we will outline other immigration pathways for tech talent, building directly on these choices and introducing five targeted options.

• Express Entry categories for skilled tech: IRCC’s 2025 plan continues category-based selection, with a Minister-set list that includes STEM and a new education category, alongside a stated focus on more in-Canada experience through Canadian Experience Class.
• Provincial nominee options in major tech hubs: British Columbia’s PNP has supported more than 6,000 tech workers since 2017, though in 2025 it anticipates issuing only a limited number of high-impact invitations. Ontario runs Human Capital Priorities tech draws at intervals, and Alberta’s Accelerated Tech Pathway requires you to be working in Alberta or hold a bona fide job offer in an eligible occupation.
• Global Talent Stream for fast hiring: Employers can sponsor you through an LMIA with a CAD 1,000 fee per position and a 10-business-day LMIA service standard in most cases. If approved, IRCC aims for two-week work permit processing under the Global Skills Strategy when eligibility is met. This path is designed for high-demand roles and requires a compliant job offer and a Labour Market Benefits Plan.
• Intra-company transferees under the IMP: Multinationals can move executives, managers, or specialized-knowledge staff to their Canadian entity as LMIA–exempt workers. Employers submit offers through the Employer Portal, and you apply for a work permit under the International Mobility Program. Where applicable, free-trade agreements like CUSMA also cover professionals and transferees.
• Start-up Visa for founders: Tech entrepreneurs can pursue permanent residence with a letter of support from a designated organization – CAD 200,000 minimum from a venture fund, CAD 75,000 from an angel group, or acceptance by a designated incubator. Proof of support replaces the need for personal investment thresholds, and designated lists are maintained by IRCC. This is a direct PR route for teams of up to five co-founders.

Essential Canadian tips for digital nomads

Plan for a smooth start by shortlisting cities, understanding stays of up to six months, and mapping costs, connectivity, coworking, and family options.

Toronto

Bell’s fibre footprint makes gigabit service widely available, including plans from 1.5 Gbps up to 8 Gbps in eligible areas. As a remote worker, you’ll find dense coworking choices, with about 135 listed spaces across the core. You can work remotely for a foreign employer while visiting, provided you don’t enter Canada’s labour market.

Vancouver

There’s no dedicated digital nomad visa, yet Vancouver’s PureFibre network routinely offers multi-gigabit plans that handle heavy video and cloud work. For a digital nomad, the compact downtown, seawall paths, and ample coffee culture keep days efficient and inspiring; expect roughly 50 coworking venues to choose from.

Montreal

Creative districts like Mile End and Plateau pair lifestyle value with expanding gigabit options via Bell’s pure fibre, available across Québec. Landing a role with a Canadian employer changes your pathway and obligations. You must secure the proper work permit before you begin any local work.

Cost of living snapshot

Before choosing where to base yourself, it helps to compare everyday expenses, internet costs, and coworking access across Canada’s three most popular digital nomad hubs.

(Cost of living comparison gotten from Numbeo)

Selected coworking hubs (day-pass or memberships available):

• Toronto: WeWork Richmond Street West, 240 Richmond St W; StartWell, 786 King St W; Spaces Yorkville, 99 Yorkville Ave.
• Vancouver: WeWork 333 Seymour St; HiVE, 420 W Hastings St; Spaces 525 West 8th Ave.
• Montreal: Crew Collective & Café, 360 Rue Saint-Jacques; WeWork 1010 Sainte-Catherine Ouest; WeWork Place Ville Marie.

NOTE! Family can usually accompany you as visitors if each person qualifies for their own eTA or visitor visa; applications are separate for every traveler.

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