IEC Visa - Travel between Canada - US - business/personal

JengaChamp

Hi everyone,

Really hoping someone can shed some light on the requirements around travelling from Canada to the US when based in Canada on a two year working holiday visa.

There is a possibility that I will be offered a job with a company that is based in Toronto but it would require some travel to cities in the US to meet with clients (its consulting work). I would be based in Canada and paid in Canada.

I have an ESTA but would this permit me to make short trips (few days) every now and again? Have searched extensively online but it's hard to find definitive answers!!

I fly to Toronto in mid January. It would be a really great job so I'm afraid that the visa issue could prevent me from getting it.

Any advice??

circular flexing

It's perfectly fine to take short business trips while on ESTA - there's even a category for it (WB - Waiver business). You can perform the following tasks while on WB status

consult with business associates
attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference
attend short-term training (you may not be paid by any source in the United States with the exception of expenses incidental to your stay)
negotiate a contract

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/visit/visa-waiver-program.html

I've done several trips from Canada to the US for business purposes and there's never been an issue.

JengaChamp

Thanks!

If you don't mind me asking, were these business trips within a few months of each other? I've looked at countless government websites and it seems that your 90 day visit via the ESTA starts when you enter the US but does not stop if you go to Canada or Mexico.

So, the first trip may be ok but if I had to visit again two weeks later I may be declined entry.

Just wondering if you had any issue with this?

circular flexing

I've had trips within a couple of weeks of each other and never had any issue. You are correct that the 90 days doesn't reset if you enter Canada, but you can use the same waiver to re-enter the US, no problems. Once that waiver expires, you can get a new one (I think I'm on my 7th or 8th waiver since I got here).

In theory, you can be denied entry at any time, each entry is at the discretion of the border guard, but the reality is that it's extremely unlikely to happen so I wouldn't worry about it.

JengaChamp

Thanks!