Why Canada is becoming increasingly popular among digital nomads

With trendy cities, a popular food scene, beautiful landscapes and plenty of great skiing, it’s easy to see why Canada is such a popular travel destination for travelers from all over the world.

Lately, however, Canada has been gaining popularity for another reason. It turns out to be a real meeting place for digital nomads.

No need for a work visa

Countries around the world are launching visas for digital nomads to encourage travelers to choose their country for their remote work hub. But tricky applications, rules and fees give digital nomads an incentive to shop around for the most accommodating deal.

According to one published article about the digital nomad experience in Canada, one of the big advantages of working remotely from Canada is the lack of a visa to be a digital nomad in the country.

An official from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) also mentioned in the article that digital nomads can stay for up to six months at a time.

“Choose this option if you work for an employer outside Canada, can do your work remotely and want to experience Canada,” the official quoted in the article said.

United States citizens are even exempt from the electronic travel authorization requirement as of April 26, 2022.

“We expect that some digital nomads who initially enter Canada to work remotely will decide to seek opportunities with Canadian employers,” Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Minister Sean Fraser said in the article.

Permanent residency in Canada

For digital nomads looking to set up a more permanent hub in Canada, the country offers even better options for those looking to set up a start-up business in the country.

Entrepreneurs only need to secure a spot in a business incubator program or secure an investment from an angel group or venture fund to secure a work permit for the country.

The program, known as the Start Up Visa (SUV) system, is also rapidly growing in popularity, attracting entrepreneurs and digital nomads to the country.

Officials say this will give the digital nomad entrepreneur a path to permanent residency in about three years, according to the latest information. Of course, that timeline and the rules could change in the future.

More information about this accelerated path to permanent residency in Canada can be found here link.

What digital nomads need to know

When most digital nomads think of popular places for remote work, places like Asia, Central America, South America, and even Eastern Europe often immediately come to mind.

However, many digital nomads, especially those from the United States, may want to consider Canada in their remote work plans.

The facts are that Canada not only offers great lifestyle options for nomads, but the country also makes it very easy with a lack of visa and work permit requirements and the fact that the country is English speaking.

What digital nomads need to know, however, is that living in many parts of Canada is very expensive, especially from a housing perspective.

Even with the US dollar being worth about $1.30 in Canadian dollars, the favorable exchange rate appreciation quickly disappears with the higher cost of living.

Nevertheless, its natural beauty and amazing local cultures may make it a great place to work remotely for the allowed six-month period, with just a passport and no additional paperwork for US citizens.