5 ms·

Working remotely for your employer (as in, you're not traveling for work, but working while traveling) is not in breach of any tourist visa restrictions.

vkou 4y ago
When Canadians travel down to the US for work, they are always instructed to answer any questions with 'I'm just here for meetings/training', because telling CBP that you're going to be doing any programming for your Canadian employer while in the US is a great way to get denied entry. I'm not sure how this works in the reverse direction, or in Mexico.
- ddoolin 4y ago
  At least for driving, into Mexico, there is no real check. For anything. You merely drive through at speed while border guards glance into the cars. You don't actually speak to anyone unless they flag you. I think the U.S. is the only one of the three that would really care.
  - alexanderchr 4y ago
    They don't even check your passport?
    - ddoolin 4y ago
      Nope. It's very strange coming from just about any other border crossing.
    - sidewndr46 4y ago
      No one smuggles anything into Mexico other than guns. The US government takes care of that step.
  - jaywalk 4y ago
    Canada definitely cares. Driving into Canada, every vehicle has to stop for an interview. If anything is off, they will send you off to the side for more intense scrutiny.
    - ddoolin 4y ago
      Ah sorry, I just meant about nitpicking the "working while traveling thing" -- but I was just guessing. Seems like they might care more than I expected.
- jaywalk 4y ago
  Again, what you're saying is in reference to traveling for your employer. Being a "digital nomad" is traveling for yourself.
  - pc86 4y ago
    This is notably distinct from visa requirements, but taxes are typically owed in the jurisdiction in which the work takes place, if you are there for a certain period of time or longer. The exact time period varies based on locality (state/county/city in the US). It is complex enough that the only answer that is definitely wrong is "I'm just traveling for me so I can do whatever I want."
    - scarface74 4y ago
      If you’re a professional athlete, and I’m almost sure none of us are, you pay taxes for each state where you played a game. I’m not sure how it is apportioned.
    - shagie 4y ago
      As an extreme example of this: https://kansaspolicy.org/rethinking-taxes-around-remote-work/ https://kansaspolicy.org/rethinking-taxes-around-remote-work... > Kansas has policies that could deter remote work and are deterring greater interstate work with our neighbors. Kansas requires employer withholding for people working in the state just for one day, which creates an annoying hurdle for companies trying to operate even in a small capacity in Kansas. In 2020, the Kansas legislature considered a bill that would have extended the withholding requirement period to 30 days, but the proposal died
      - hnburnsy 4y ago
        I assumed this was always the case, just that no one except professional athletes actually do it. The CA FTB makes me afraid to take lengthy vacations in California.
        shagie 4y ago
chx 4y ago
THIS IS NOT TRUE! BEWARE OF THIS! In reality, you are basically relying on the fact that no one can tell when you open your laptop whether you check personal email or work email etc. But legislation wise you very well might be in breach of visitor conditions. And if you stay long enough, taxes might kick in. Canada is a notable exemption because IRCC issued a note on What kind of activities are not considered to be “work”?: > long distance (by telephone or internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside Canada; However, unless the relevant immigrant authority or legislation did this , the law still applies. There are now numerous countries which issue special digital nomad visas. See https://travel.stackexchange.com/q/45092/4188 https://travel.stackexchange.com/q/45092/4188 for more.
- sidewndr46 4y ago
  A C-level executive at a place I worked went to another country specific to scout out talent the company could hire remotely. Given that he was obviously working there I asked how he got a permit for that. His answer was that he got a tourist visa and was on vacation, so it was obviously legal for him to work while in the country.
  - chx 4y ago
    > His answer was that he got a tourist visa and was on vacation, so it was obviously legal for him to work while in the country. Well, that depends. For example, the United States has a B1/B2 visa where you can do business things like meetings. That's not work. But still, if you are a tourist aka you get a rare B2 only visa then no what he did was not legal -- and just because he is C level doesn't mean he won't breach the law in this. Might be out of arrogance or ignorance, even. His answer sounds like "I am a rich man, laws, pfft" to me.
    - sidewndr46 4y ago
      I don't think it was quite that. But from the conversation, he apparently was of the opinion that wherever the business was incorporated at was his place of work. As in even if he was in Norway but the business was registered in New York, he'd be working in New York. I'm not an employment lawyer, but I don't think it works like that.
kersplody 4y ago
THIS IS FALSE ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND IF DISCOVERED, CAN RESULT IN CRIMINAL AND/OR TAX PENALTIES. In general, it’s not legal to be an unregistered digital nomad unless you have the right to work in the country you are in. If you enter a country on a tourist visa, the primary purpose of the trip must be tourism. If you enter on a tourist visa for the intention of being a digital nomad, you have violated the visa. In practice, it probably doesn’t matter as long as you are discrete. it's difficult for governments to detect this practice and many countries even tolerate the practice. But since being a digital nomad is almost always technically illegal, travelers have had challenges when they are discovered by the wrong person. The bigger concern is usually your employer. Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense.
- moistly 4y ago
  > Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense. IOW, the chances of remaining employed will crumble.
- scarface74 4y ago
  > The bigger concern is usually your employer. Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense This is true for my employer. We are allowed to work outside of the country for at most 60 days.

vkou 4y ago

When Canadians travel down to the US for work, they are always instructed to answer any questions with 'I'm just here for meetings/training', because telling CBP that you're going to be doing any programming for your Canadian employer while in the US is a great way to get denied entry. I'm not sure how this works in the reverse direction, or in Mexico.

ddoolin 4y ago
At least for driving, into Mexico, there is no real check. For anything. You merely drive through at speed while border guards glance into the cars. You don't actually speak to anyone unless they flag you. I think the U.S. is the only one of the three that would really care.
- alexanderchr 4y ago
  They don't even check your passport?
  - ddoolin 4y ago
    Nope. It's very strange coming from just about any other border crossing.
  - sidewndr46 4y ago
    No one smuggles anything into Mexico other than guns. The US government takes care of that step.
- jaywalk 4y ago
  Canada definitely cares. Driving into Canada, every vehicle has to stop for an interview. If anything is off, they will send you off to the side for more intense scrutiny.
  - ddoolin 4y ago
    Ah sorry, I just meant about nitpicking the "working while traveling thing" -- but I was just guessing. Seems like they might care more than I expected.
jaywalk 4y ago
Again, what you're saying is in reference to traveling for your employer. Being a "digital nomad" is traveling for yourself.
- pc86 4y ago
  This is notably distinct from visa requirements, but taxes are typically owed in the jurisdiction in which the work takes place, if you are there for a certain period of time or longer. The exact time period varies based on locality (state/county/city in the US). It is complex enough that the only answer that is definitely wrong is "I'm just traveling for me so I can do whatever I want."
  - scarface74 4y ago
    If you’re a professional athlete, and I’m almost sure none of us are, you pay taxes for each state where you played a game. I’m not sure how it is apportioned.
  - shagie 4y ago
    As an extreme example of this: https://kansaspolicy.org/rethinking-taxes-around-remote-work/ https://kansaspolicy.org/rethinking-taxes-around-remote-work... > Kansas has policies that could deter remote work and are deterring greater interstate work with our neighbors. Kansas requires employer withholding for people working in the state just for one day, which creates an annoying hurdle for companies trying to operate even in a small capacity in Kansas. In 2020, the Kansas legislature considered a bill that would have extended the withholding requirement period to 30 days, but the proposal died
    - hnburnsy 4y ago
      I assumed this was always the case, just that no one except professional athletes actually do it. The CA FTB makes me afraid to take lengthy vacations in California.
      - shagie 4y ago

chx 4y ago

THIS IS NOT TRUE! BEWARE OF THIS! In reality, you are basically relying on the fact that no one can tell when you open your laptop whether you check personal email or work email etc. But legislation wise you very well might be in breach of visitor conditions. And if you stay long enough, taxes might kick in. Canada is a notable exemption because IRCC issued a note on What kind of activities are not considered to be “work”?: > long distance (by telephone or internet) work done by a temporary resident whose employer is outside Canada and who is remunerated from outside Canada; However, unless the relevant immigrant authority or legislation did this , the law still applies. There are now numerous countries which issue special digital nomad visas. See https://travel.stackexchange.com/q/45092/4188 https://travel.stackexchange.com/q/45092/4188 for more.

sidewndr46 4y ago
A C-level executive at a place I worked went to another country specific to scout out talent the company could hire remotely. Given that he was obviously working there I asked how he got a permit for that. His answer was that he got a tourist visa and was on vacation, so it was obviously legal for him to work while in the country.
- chx 4y ago
  > His answer was that he got a tourist visa and was on vacation, so it was obviously legal for him to work while in the country. Well, that depends. For example, the United States has a B1/B2 visa where you can do business things like meetings. That's not work. But still, if you are a tourist aka you get a rare B2 only visa then no what he did was not legal -- and just because he is C level doesn't mean he won't breach the law in this. Might be out of arrogance or ignorance, even. His answer sounds like "I am a rich man, laws, pfft" to me.
  - sidewndr46 4y ago
    I don't think it was quite that. But from the conversation, he apparently was of the opinion that wherever the business was incorporated at was his place of work. As in even if he was in Norway but the business was registered in New York, he'd be working in New York. I'm not an employment lawyer, but I don't think it works like that.

kersplody 4y ago

THIS IS FALSE ALMOST EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND IF DISCOVERED, CAN RESULT IN CRIMINAL AND/OR TAX PENALTIES. In general, it’s not legal to be an unregistered digital nomad unless you have the right to work in the country you are in. If you enter a country on a tourist visa, the primary purpose of the trip must be tourism. If you enter on a tourist visa for the intention of being a digital nomad, you have violated the visa. In practice, it probably doesn’t matter as long as you are discrete. it's difficult for governments to detect this practice and many countries even tolerate the practice. But since being a digital nomad is almost always technically illegal, travelers have had challenges when they are discovered by the wrong person. The bigger concern is usually your employer. Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense.

moistly 4y ago
> Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense. IOW, the chances of remaining employed will crumble.
scarface74 4y ago
> The bigger concern is usually your employer. Working overseas without approval is usually a friable offense This is true for my employer. We are allowed to work outside of the country for at most 60 days.