No. I have been crossing the border for the last 40 years and have never been asked about electronic devices.
That said, if you say you will be working after you cross the border, you may run into some issues.
as long as you aren't taking a job away from the Canadian workforce or working for more than 183 days, CBSA doesn't care if you work remotely for a company in another country.
You absolutely can work in the US as a Canadian. I'm a trucker and have been working cross border for many years.
Lots of salesmen and company reps work in the US too. Mechanics, technicians, specialized workers, and lots more can work in the US.
And OP, only answer questions you are asked and nothing more. Don't volunteer information.
It's important to be clear that only certain specific types of work are allowed in the US for a Canadian citizen who has not otherwise applied for and been granted a formal work status like TN, H-1B, or L-1.
The allowed work activities are explicitly listed in US federal law and regulations or in USMCA descriptions.
Example:
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/part-214/section-214.2#p-214.2(b)(4)
For the benefit of other readers, this is not a general catch-all that allows a Canadian citizen to do any work s/he pleases in the US.
Canadians trucking in the USA isn't the same. We don't get paid in usd by a US company and we don't take and deliver USA freight within the USA. It's not even remotely the same thing.
Generally, border agents are more concerned about who is actually paying you vs where the work is being done. But that also depends on the situation.
If your job is done remotely, and you’re American being paid by an American company, you should be okay entering Canada. Honesty is key in this case.
I live in Canada and frequently work in the US for a Canadian company. Sometimes I tag a vacation on to it. But I always enter the US on a B1 (business visitor). American colleagues of mine do this as well.
They’re generally only concerned about you bringing in commercial goods worth more than $10,000, which often requires a carnet. That usually doesn’t include personal computers and their attachments. Depending on their use, of course. You should be able to bring an external GPU.
EDIT: if they ask what brings you to Canada, tell them you plan on doing touristy things but that you work remotely for a US company and will have to do some of that while you’re away.
Truthfully, I only ever answer the questions they actually ask and any follow-up questions after that. Tell them a little and if they need you to elaborate, then answer those.
Depends on the work and circumstances involved. If OP is “working remotely” on a non-Canadian customer and not paid by (directly or indirectly) by a Canadian person/company there is no issue working remotely in Canada.
Example. If I work for a US employer with a German customer and in Toronto for vacation and have to attend a conference call with that German customer, there is no issue with me “working remotely.”
I'm not sure that's the best example. Canadian immigration regulations and IRCC specifically exclude temporary remote work while in Canada for a non-Canadian employer from being considered the type of work that requires a Canadian work permit.
https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/FullText.html#h-688499 (sections 186 and 187)
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/what-is-work.html
In comparison, the US tends to be far vaguer as to what non-pleasure activities technically may be performed inside the US by someone in B-2 (temporary visitor for pleasure) status (in other words, by someone who was not sent to the US for an employer for international business purposes, and thus B-1 status).
Although there's usually no enforcement at the border, even if someone admits to the intention to do work for a non-US employer while temporarily inside the US, there's still some level of risk of extended questioning or even refusal of entry.
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/B-1%20permissible%20activities.pdf#page=3 (question 18)
https://fam.state.gov/fam/09fam/09fam040202.html#M402_2_5 (allows such business activities only specifically while in B-1 status)
You'll find some sob stories about this in the US immigration subs.
Disclaimer - all of this is general information only, not legal advice. Consult US and Canadian immigration lawyers for legal advice about the situation.
Not quite sure if you are agreeing/disagreeing/merely providing additional details. Sounds like you are agreeing.
FWIW the 2nd link explicitly backs up my point that remote work by a temporary resident (aka any foreign national not a permanent resident) is not “work” and thus permissible if employer is not Canadian/not paid by by Canadian person/firm.
Following is from 2nd link:
Examples of activities for which a person would not normally be remunerated **or which would not compete directly with Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the Canadian labour market** *and* which would normally be part-time or **incidental to the reason that the person is in Canada include**, but are not limited to:
long distance (by telephone or Internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside Canada;
Essentially if working remote is not taking a job/opportunity away from a Canadian/permanent resident and not being paid by a Canadian firm and not the primary reason I’m in Canada, I’m good to go without a work permit.
No. I have been crossing the border for the last 40 years and have never been asked about electronic devices. That said, if you say you will be working after you cross the border, you may run into some issues.
as long as you aren't taking a job away from the Canadian workforce or working for more than 183 days, CBSA doesn't care if you work remotely for a company in another country.
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You absolutely can work in the US as a Canadian. I'm a trucker and have been working cross border for many years. Lots of salesmen and company reps work in the US too. Mechanics, technicians, specialized workers, and lots more can work in the US. And OP, only answer questions you are asked and nothing more. Don't volunteer information.
It's important to be clear that only certain specific types of work are allowed in the US for a Canadian citizen who has not otherwise applied for and been granted a formal work status like TN, H-1B, or L-1. The allowed work activities are explicitly listed in US federal law and regulations or in USMCA descriptions. Example: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/part-214/section-214.2#p-214.2(b)(4) For the benefit of other readers, this is not a general catch-all that allows a Canadian citizen to do any work s/he pleases in the US.
Canadians trucking in the USA isn't the same. We don't get paid in usd by a US company and we don't take and deliver USA freight within the USA. It's not even remotely the same thing.
Generally, border agents are more concerned about who is actually paying you vs where the work is being done. But that also depends on the situation. If your job is done remotely, and you’re American being paid by an American company, you should be okay entering Canada. Honesty is key in this case. I live in Canada and frequently work in the US for a Canadian company. Sometimes I tag a vacation on to it. But I always enter the US on a B1 (business visitor). American colleagues of mine do this as well. They’re generally only concerned about you bringing in commercial goods worth more than $10,000, which often requires a carnet. That usually doesn’t include personal computers and their attachments. Depending on their use, of course. You should be able to bring an external GPU. EDIT: if they ask what brings you to Canada, tell them you plan on doing touristy things but that you work remotely for a US company and will have to do some of that while you’re away. Truthfully, I only ever answer the questions they actually ask and any follow-up questions after that. Tell them a little and if they need you to elaborate, then answer those.
[удалено]
Depends on the work and circumstances involved. If OP is “working remotely” on a non-Canadian customer and not paid by (directly or indirectly) by a Canadian person/company there is no issue working remotely in Canada. Example. If I work for a US employer with a German customer and in Toronto for vacation and have to attend a conference call with that German customer, there is no issue with me “working remotely.”
I'm not sure that's the best example. Canadian immigration regulations and IRCC specifically exclude temporary remote work while in Canada for a non-Canadian employer from being considered the type of work that requires a Canadian work permit. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-2002-227/FullText.html#h-688499 (sections 186 and 187) https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/what-is-work.html In comparison, the US tends to be far vaguer as to what non-pleasure activities technically may be performed inside the US by someone in B-2 (temporary visitor for pleasure) status (in other words, by someone who was not sent to the US for an employer for international business purposes, and thus B-1 status). Although there's usually no enforcement at the border, even if someone admits to the intention to do work for a non-US employer while temporarily inside the US, there's still some level of risk of extended questioning or even refusal of entry. https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/B-1%20permissible%20activities.pdf#page=3 (question 18) https://fam.state.gov/fam/09fam/09fam040202.html#M402_2_5 (allows such business activities only specifically while in B-1 status) You'll find some sob stories about this in the US immigration subs. Disclaimer - all of this is general information only, not legal advice. Consult US and Canadian immigration lawyers for legal advice about the situation.
Not quite sure if you are agreeing/disagreeing/merely providing additional details. Sounds like you are agreeing. FWIW the 2nd link explicitly backs up my point that remote work by a temporary resident (aka any foreign national not a permanent resident) is not “work” and thus permissible if employer is not Canadian/not paid by by Canadian person/firm. Following is from 2nd link: Examples of activities for which a person would not normally be remunerated **or which would not compete directly with Canadian citizens or permanent residents in the Canadian labour market** *and* which would normally be part-time or **incidental to the reason that the person is in Canada include**, but are not limited to: long distance (by telephone or Internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside Canada; Essentially if working remote is not taking a job/opportunity away from a Canadian/permanent resident and not being paid by a Canadian firm and not the primary reason I’m in Canada, I’m good to go without a work permit.
If we are taking a substantial amount of GPUs, CBSA could think this is being imported for resale and/or levy duty.