At the end of June 2023, Canada's Minister of Immigration, Sean Fraser, announced a number of changes and innovations that are aimed at attracting tech professionals.
One of them is promoting the country as a destination for digital nomads.

Digital nomad: who is it

Digital nomads (digital nomads) are people who can do their work remotely from anywhere in the world.

What is the Digital Nomads visa

In Canada, there is no usual division into tourist, visitor, business, etc. visa. They are all categorized as Visitor Visa (short-term).
Digital Nomads is no exception. It is the same Visitor visa to Canada, when applying for which you specify the appropriate purpose of travel - the desire to visit Canada, while working online for a non-Canadian employer.

When you can apply for a Digital Nomads visa

The answer to this question is not unequivocal. Facts:

• Digital Nomad Visa to Canada is a regular Visitor Visa that you can apply for;
• Canada's official website has a page with updated and new destinations under the announced changes. There are Digital nomands with the option to Get Started.
• We can conclude that it is already possible to apply for a visa for digital nomads.
• There is no information about the specifics of applying for such a visa: whether and how to confirm the presence of a remote employer, whether all professions are suitable or whether there are restrictions.

It is possible to apply officially, but for more information we need real cases and statements from the Canadian Department of Immigration.

Advantages of applying for such a visa

Since the Canadian government has introduced such a visa direction and in general develops the attraction of specialists, it means that they are really in demand. From this we can distinguish the following advantages:

1. Reduced requirements for candidates.

For a tourist or visitor visit, you need to prove that you will leave the country after the expiration of your stay.
To do this, you need to attach documents that prove your connection to your country of residence: a certificate from your job stating that you retain your place, real estate, business, birth or marriage certificate if someone in the family is not traveling with you, etc.
In the case of the digital nomad referral, this is not so important because it is already implied here that you are a remote worker who is working from another country or countries. Accordingly, the connection to the homeland is not so important.

2. Reducing the rejection rate.

Now one of the frequent reasons for rejection is that I (immigration officer) am not sure that you will leave Canada after the expiry of your stay.
Taking into account the point above, we can say that there will be at least fewer rejections for this reason.
Canada's official website even says: we expect that some digital nomads who initially come to work remotely may start looking for work in Canada and then get a Work Permit, or immigrate.

3. Speeding up the processing of applications.

Since such a policy has been created, since Canada is interested in such specialists, it means that applications should be processed faster.
On the official website it is written that they will consider applications in 2 months.

Advantage of the visa itself

It is worth noting here:

• lack of monthly income requirement, which is for this visa in most other countries;
• the ability to look for work in Canada while in the country, which greatly increases the chances;
• small fees;
• no quota on the number of digital nomads.

How long you can stay in the country

6 months. If you want to stay after this period, you will need to apply for an extension of your stay in Canada. The Visitor Record document is responsible for this. It is not a visa and is not pasted into your passport, it is a separate document.

You must apply for an extension of stay before your initial period of stay (6 months) expires. If you have done this, you can stay in Canada while your application is being processed.
If you want to stay in Canada at all, become a permanent resident and then a citizen, you will need to go through the process of immigrating to Canada under one of the programs.

Does Canadian work experience count towards immigration?

No. To get Canadian work experience, you need to work under the appropriate authorization for a Canadian employer while in this country.

Visa validity period for digital nomads

Generally, Visitor visa is issued for the validity of your passport, or for the validity of your biometrics (10 years) if you have gone through this process earlier.
Biometrics specifically for Canada will do. What was passed, for example, for the Schengen area is not counted.
In most cases, it is a multi-visa, that is, you can travel to other countries and re-enter without problems.
There is no restriction on the number of days spent in a year. That is, you can enter for 6 months, leave, re-enter a week later and stay for another 6 months.

What documents are required

There is no information yet on whether any additional documents will be required for a visa to Canada, but the standard list includes:

• passport;
• bank statements to prove income and availability of funds to live in Canada;
• a photo in electronic format;
• travel plan;
• a letter of motivation;
• you will likely need to prove that you are working remotely for a non-Canadian employer.

How much does it cost to apply for a digital nomad visa

Same as a regular Visitor Visa:

• Visa fee: 100 CAD, which is approximately 6,859 rubles;
• Biometrics: 85 CAD, which is approximately 5,830 rubles.

Popular questions

Do I need a language test for a nomad visa?
No, but it can be a plus.
One of the ultimate goals of this destination is to potentially attract talent to work for Canadian employers. If you show that your language matches your profession, this may be taken into consideration.

Can I work in Canada on this visa?
No.

Can I travel with my family?
Since this is a Visitor Visa, you can apply with a partner. If one partner is working and the other is not, the financial capacity of the former must cover the needs of both.

What is the difference from a Tourist Visa if both are Visitor Visa?
At the very least - they promise to process much faster. In theory, the visa for digital nomads should be approved more readily.

If I found a job in Canada on this visa, do I need to apply for another visa?
To work in Canada, you need to get a Work Permit. You can apply from Canada. You cannot work on a Digital Nomands Visa.

Can my children go to school?
Not for free.