Woah, I think y'all are over-complicating the issue:
IRCC Help Centre answer:
If I am a business visitor, do I need a work permit to work in Canada?
You do not need a work permit to carry out business activities related to your job back home, such as meeting clients of your company or visiting job sites.
Additional IRCC Help Centre answer:
What is a business visitor?
A business visitor is someone who comes to Canada:
- for international business activities
- without directly entering the Canadian labour market
Examples of this include someone who comes to Canada:
- to meet people from companies doing business with their country
- to observe site visits
- because a Canadian company invited them for training in:
- product use
- sales
- other business transaction functions
They don’t need a work permit to come to Canada.
Business visitors must prove that their main source of income and their main place of business are outside Canada.
Immigration and Refugee Protection regulations:
Work permit
- 8 (1) A foreign national may not enter Canada to work without first obtaining a work permit.
- Exception
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a foreign national who is authorized under section 186 to work in Canada without a work permit. ...
DIVISION 3 Work Without a Permit
No permit required
186 A foreign national may work in Canada without a work permit- (a) as a business visitor to Canada within the meaning of section 187;
...
Business visitors
- 187 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 186(a), a business visitor to Canada is a foreign national who is described in subsection (2) or who seeks to engage in international business activities in Canada without directly entering the Canadian labour market.
...
Factors
(3) For the purpose of subsection (1), a foreign national seeks to engage in international business activities in Canada without directly entering the Canadian labour market only if- (a) the primary source of remuneration for the business activities is outside Canada; and
- (b) the principal place of business and actual place of accrual of profits remain predominately outside Canada.
Originally Posted by
WoodyWindy
You "can" use it for entry in Canada, but to do so, unless you already have a Work visa, can be counterproductive. Since it is meant only for business travel, you will draw the attention of their immigration officers, and if you don't already have said visa, be prepared for a grilling about just what business activities that don't require a visa you might be undertaking.
Originally Posted by
Dread Pirate Jeff
Context: As a US citizen, is a work visa necessary all the time in Canada? I mean, if I fly into CA for a day of meetings, is a Visa necessary for that? (With the caveat that YMMV for other countries).
Though really my use case is more: Returning from Asia, via Canada (YVR or YYZ) with a long (18+ hour) layover, I'd want to not spend that long layover in the airport.
Originally Posted by
seawolf
Not all the time. You would have to check applicable trade agreements such as NAFTA. But if you claim you are visa exempt due to NAFTA, CBSA may ask for documentary evidence associated with the work permit exemption criteria such as contract/RFP/invite from Canadian business etc.