t325

I am traveling to YYZ next month for a couple meetings, first time traveling internationally for work. Then a couple days sightseeing around Toronto. I don't know if I'd be able to get any documentation from my employer or client before my trip as this came together quickly and apparently turnaround time on those is long. Would I have any issues getting in? I will not be working while up there - I am contracted out to the Canadian division of a US company and mostly headed up for some face time for a couple days to discuss the year ahead.

Box10

I've heard that what you say can make a big difference.

Meetings. ok
Meetings mixed with some sightseeing. ok
Doing some repairs or teaching. Dicey.
Bringing samples, same thing.

cestmoi123

Just make sure it's clear they are INTERNAL meetings - you're not meeting with customers, etc.

GUWonder

Canadian border control is more picky than UK or Schengen border control when it comes to Americans coming for business reasons. In other words, US citizens have to be more careful with what they are doing and saying when seeking entry into Canada for business purposes than when seeking entry into the UK/Ireland or Schengen zone for business purposes.

Word choice and circumstances matter, more so sometimes and in some places than at other times and in other places.

Canada's border control staff seems to be worse in this regard than even the US CBP.

pa3lsvt

This is not good advice for two reasons. 1) Sales meetings with customers are a perfectly acceptable reason for travel to Canada as "cross-border business" as long as yuo are performing those meetings as a US-based employee of a US-based business (or business unit). 2) NEVER lie to a border agent.

I travel to Canada from the US as many as a dozen times per year, specifically to meet with customers. Here is how a typical conversation goes at land crossings (for air entry I use NEXUS, so no interview with a CBSA officer, but the same conversation should occur at the airport for non-NEXUS entries):

CBSA: Where are you travelling?
Me: Toronto.
CBSA: What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: I am a sales engineer and I am meeting with customers this week in Toronto.
CBSA: What customers?
Me: (name two or three, choosing the largest ones so the officer will be familiar with the names)
CBSA: Do you have any commercial goods or product samples to declare?
Me: No.
CBSA: How long are you staying?
Me: I have a return flight out of Buffalo on Friday.
CBSA: (hands documents back) Welcome to Canada!

I was once asked for my business card to verify my position/company/employment location (making sure I am a US-based employee from a US-based business). The question about the names of customers gets asked about half the time - they don't really care who but want to see if you can name a few as a means to determine if you statement about your travel purpose is truthful.

I always get asked if I have any commercial goods or product samples with me. This includes tools, brochures and any other marketing materials, and with product samples (even if the prior list includes items not intended to remain in Canada). You should not have these with you upon entry to Canada or they must be declared - my company requires that I send ahead or arrange product samples with a local distributor as part of the travel policy to avoid any trouble at the border. (Note that NEXUS doesn't allow such goods in the NEXUS lane at all, even with declaration, but that isn't the situation for OP.)

And, in general, never use the word WORK with the agent. Business meetings with customers or potential customers are one (permissible) activity but actual engagement in professional work is wholly different and will get you greater scrutiny as the agent tries to determine if your WORK is permissible and whether or not you need a separate work permit to engage in those activities.

Although the difference is negligible for us (my definition of my WORK includes those sales meetings), the specific use of the term WORK at the border implies something very different. Remember, you are here for cross-border BUSINESS, not cross-border WORK.

catocony

I generally agree that you should just say you're in town for the week for meetings. Don't mention that you work for a Canadian company, and absolutely don't say "I'm here for work". That will launch a series of questions and probably get you dumped into secondary. I've had that happen several times to people I've been traveling with, and several others I've worked with have fallen into that trap when I haven't been with them.

You're not there for work, you're not there for a class. You're there for business meetings, and are heading back home at the end of the week. No need to mention that you're going sightseeing or anything.

gglave

I'm a Canadian. I live in Canada. I work for a Canadian-headquartered company and we have American employees.

When the American employees come to Vancouver for business I'm always impressed with how easily they pass through Canadian immigration. No issues at all. When I ask them about it their story is all the same - "Piece of cake! I *love* Canada customs!"

Contrast that with my travels to the USA, where I get the third degree from US CBP, even with Global Entry.

emma69

Meetings is a perfectly valid reason, internal or external.

Make sure you know where the company you are visiting is located (street address) and have a return ticket somewhere you can easily show if asked.

eigenvector

You are not going to work in Canada. You need a visa to work in Canada. You are going to conduct business meetings, but will not be working.

B1

If you are coming to Canada to get paid for work done in Canada you would need a work permit, which would be issued for a fee at entry. But the OP is not in that category as many have already stated. Expense reimbursements sometimes cause confusion but this should not be the case here.

bbtrvl

Why do US citizens traveling on business have to go through the "other passports" line and not the Canada/US passports line? Can we use the entry kiosks instead? The normal ones, not the NEXUS kiosks.

B1

Because the questions the agents ask are the not the same as the machine is programmed with.

bbtrvl

Fair enough that the kiosk is not programmed that way (although Canadian passports traveling on business can use APC kiosks to enter the US) but why not the US/Canadian passport line, at least?

mkjr

Yes, but if you say meetings and what you really mean is "meetings relating to our supply of services under agreements with customers", then that is possibly misleading...

Most importantly, just be transparent in your answers.

You have really provided insufficient and/or vague information as to what meetings are for and depending on the clarity of the same, you may or may not have issues.

CanuckFlyHigh

Multiple people from our US office come to Canada frequently. No one has had a problem coming and going for meetings, to check on investments, to attend a fundraiser, to take customers golfing, etc.