Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will open applications on 15 July for a new one-year Digital Nomad Visa aimed at remote workers earning at least C$50,000 a year. The pilot—announced on 4 July and confirmed by IRCC officials—will initially be available to citizens of 20 economies, including Brazil, India, South Africa, Germany and the United Kingdom. Holders will be authorised to reside anywhere in Canada for up to 12 months while continuing to work for foreign employers or as freelancers. A single 12-month extension is possible if applicants can show ongoing income and private medical insurance. Processing will occur entirely online and IRCC is promising a 14-day service standard to remain competitive with Portugal’s and Spain’s digital-nomad schemes. The government sees the programme as a way to inject high-earning, highly mobile professionals into regional economies that lack tech and creative-industry talent. Statistics Canada estimates that each digital nomad spends about C$34,000 locally over a 12-month stay, meaning the first-year intake of 5,000 visas could translate into C$170 million in direct consumer spending. The policy also fits Canada’s longer-term talent-attraction strategy. Officials expect to offer permanent-residence pathways to roughly 30 % of visa holders within three years, replicating the success of the 2022 temporary “Work-from-Canada” measures that eventually produced more than 100,000 PR applications. HR and global-mobility teams should note that the visa does not authorise local employment. Remote workers who later receive a Canadian job offer must transition to a regular work-permit stream. Applicants must upload proof of income (tax returns or employer letters), medical-insurance certificates and evidence of accommodation and return travel. Employers looking to use the scheme as a recruitment tool should review compliance obligations, as random audits will begin in October.
Source: Atlas Guide / Reuters
