Business visitors are foreign nationals who come to Canada on work purposes but do not require a work permit to do so.

Note: To read about business visitors from a generic perspective, click here.

Business visitors who come to Canada on IT/Tech related work purposes can do so but cannot enter the labour market directly. Below are some categories wherein IT/Tech related professionals may receive consideration under the Business Visitors category.

After-sales services (from a cross-border perspective)

This is one of the most common pathways available for IT/Tech professionals to enter Canada as business visitors. This is often attributed to a Canadian company or entity purchasing a product (hardware/software/both) from a foreign company, for which the foreign company holds the proprietary rights. That is, only the employees of the foreign company are entitled to perform after-sale services of the product(s) the Canadian company has procured.

Training purposes

IT/Tech professionals may enter Canada to undergo training from their parent company or the Canadian branch of the parent company. Since many of the knowledge or insight about the product(s) of the company may be proprietary, it is often not possible to find a substitute option for this. This provides the pathway for IT/Tech professionals to enter Canada on training purposes.

Guest Speakers

With the ever-evolving nature of the IT industry, IT/Tech professionals who are Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) may often be required to come to Canada to provide guest lectures or sessions on various aspects. This provides another pathway for IT/Tech professionals to enter Canada as a business visitor. This also targets knowledge transfer from non-Canadians to Canadians.

Workshop Participants

Much similar to the Guest Speaker category, IT/Tech professionals may often be required to come to Canada to take part in IT workshops to address issues/challenges, as well as the opportunities related to the information technology world. And like in the case of guest speakers, knowledge transfer from non-Canadians to Canadians is a key aspect here as well.