Telecommuting as a Video Editor OR How to work in Canada

[jimmiesner]

I live in western NY, being only a couple of hours from Toronto, there is a lot more work there then where I am currently located. The thing is though, doing freelance in Toronto seems to be an impossibility as an American, based on what I've been told and researched. If anyone knows anything contrary, please share your information.

I'm not up for breaking any laws. So I thought if I could convince a company in Toronto to use me as an editor, I could have a hard drive shipped back and forth between me and the client, and use something like Review Basics to help with editing revisions. If necessary I could always go across the border and speak with them about the project, as long as I don't actually do any work in Canada.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has been successful doing anything like this? Or has successfully created a post production house that regularly deals with editing video that was shot outside your area, and how your work flow is setup. Any thoughts or advice would be great.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[DaveD]

I've done work remotely (including internationally) and for me it wasn't really worth it- but this is because I live in a place with a very high cost of living so I charge more than many editors and there is honestly enough work here if I'm willing to do... unfortunate things to get it. Clearly, this isn't the case everywhere.

Really your main goal should be making things just as convenient for the client. I'm sure there are plenty of editors in Toronto and even though they're Canadians, I'm sure there are plenty of good ones. So go and pick up the drive (miles are tax deductible!) and have phone/skype meetings. I put out screeners with largefilesasap, sendspace and half a dozen others. Yousendit is terrific if you're willing to pay for a premium membership.

Also, you can work in Canada, you just need to pay Canadian taxes. My girlfriend was a temporary resident in Montreal and worked as a research assistant. She spent months scrubbing out the smell of maple syrup, but there was nothing illegal about working as a foreign national. I'm not sure why you'd need to do any work in Canada though, other than meetings (usually non-billable), so I'm not sure why it matters.

 

[jimmiesner]

I think working in Canada full time vs. freelance is a little different based on my understanding. In order to work in Canada as an American citizen you first need to get a work visa, and in order to get this you need to have a job offer from a company. It's do able, but I think a huge deterrent for company's to hire me if they have to go through all that paper work. Plus I am sure it is not a fast process and in the quick moving world of freelance video, I would not be able to get many jobs if the condition was, "Hey I can start in a couple months once the work visa goes through". I could be wrong though, let me know if this is incorrect.

JIm

 

[DaveD]

Are you planning to move to Toronto? You need a visa to live somewhere (or, more strictly, to enter somewhere). You absolutely don't need a visa to provide a service to a Canadian company. You're right in that being an employee and freelance are different- as an employee as a non-citizen you need a work permit, as a freelancer I don't believe you do, even if you're doing the work in Canada.

I'm not going to tell you that if you do work, BILLABLE work, in Canada you won't need any permits (in DC, I have to keep a business license, which I think is bullshit since I'm a freelancer and not a business, but there you have it) but if you can do work for anyone anywhere if the work is done in the US and you pay US taxes on your income.

And honestly if you're paying taxes to the correct country, nobody cares.