For up to six months, remote workers can now live and work in Canada. The new digital nomad program aims to bring professionals to the country to aid its skill shortage.
According to Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, the move is to tempt workers to come to explore the beauty of the country and give a boost to the economy.
While details of the program are still being developed, firstly and potentially most importantly, there is no salary threshold.
As such, this program will be extremely enticing to remote workers, unlike other countries, which have tight restrictions on remote workers. It will be one of the most relaxed remote working schemes in the world.
And as the program gets developed, current immigration rules in Canada state that a digital nomad employed by a foreign company can relocate to the country for up to six months at a time. All they need to do is obtain a visitor visa.
The Canadian government is working with public and private partners alike to determine policies, but one item that will surely change is the length of stay. Fraser says that by applying for a temporary work permit, remote workers will be able to stay for longer.
Along with the announcement of the digital nomad program, the government announced two additional programs to boost local economies.
The first will be a program aimed at the tech industry, and the second will be a work-permit scheme for Americans.
With the hope to launch by the end of 2023, the government is planning to launch an Innovation Stream of the International Mobility Program to address broadening Canada’s talent base in tech directly.
And why is Canada so exciting? Because it is much more than the Canadian Rockies and an abundance of wildlife, it is also home to bustling and world-class cities like Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.