Canada - Business TravelCanada - Business Travel

Business Customs

Business customs in Canada are like those in the United States. Initial meetings are generally formal and exchanging business cards is expected. The use of a PowerPoint presentation or other technology during a sales presentation is common. Although English and French are both official languages in Canada, most international business is conducted in English. Business culture varies somewhat throughout Canada depending on the region, and most Canadians identify strongly with their respective provinces. U.S. business travelers to Canada should familiarize themselves with the culture, history, and geography of the province where they will conduct business. Most important, business travelers should make a good first impression, and sell the reliability and trustworthiness of themselves and their company before trying to sell their product or service.

Travel Advisory

The Department of State reports on the latest Country Information for Canada with information on such matters as health conditions, crime, customs regulations, entry requirements, and the location of the U.S. Embassy or nearest Consulate or Consulate General. See: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html

Americans living or traveling in Canada are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive important safety and security announcements, and to make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact U.S. citizens in the event of an emergency. https://step.state.gov/

Visa Requirements

Entry into Canada is determined solely by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials, in accordance with Canadian law. Please refer to CBSA’s website at www.cbsa.gc.ca/menu-eng.html for details. Canadian law requires that all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.

The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travelers expedited processing by U.S. and Canadian officials via dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry; at NEXUS kiosks at Canadian preclearance airports; access to TSA Pre✓™ at U.S. airports; and at marine reporting locations. For NEXUS – Trusted Traveler, use the link to learn how to enroll: www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus. Business travelers requiring a NAFTA TN (Trade NAFTA) visa may submit applications prior to arriving at the border or present their application to a CBP Officer upon arrival at a designated border location. TN NAFTA Professionals may refer to the USCIS link for more information: www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/tn-nafta-professionals.

If a U.S. citizen traveler to Canada does not have a passport, passport card, or NEXUS card, a government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver's license) and proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, can be presented. Minors under the age of 16 need only present proof of U.S. citizenship if traveling by land. A visa is not required for U.S. citizens traveling to Canada for visits of less than 180 days. Anyone seeking to enter Canada for a purpose other than a visit (e.g., to work, study, or immigrate) must qualify for the appropriate entry status, and should contact the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate at: www.international.gc.ca/cip-pic/mission_info-info_mission.aspx?lang=eng. Because visas may take several weeks to process, applications should be submitted as far in advance as possible.

When returning to the United States from Canada, U.S. citizens are required to present a valid U.S. passport if they are re-entering the United States via air. For entry into the United States via land or sea border, U.S. citizens must present either a U.S. passport, passport card, NEXUS card, Enhanced Driver’s License, or other identificationWestern Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Compliant Document. The only exception to this requirement is for U.S. citizens younger than 16 (or younger than 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group), who need only present evidence of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or naturalization certificate. U.S. citizen travelers are urged to obtain WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) compliant documents before entering Canada well in advance of their planned travel. Refer to www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative for further information.

In most cases, Canadian citizens are exempt from visa requirements for travel to the United States. Canadian citizens wishing to enter the United States as a Treaty Trader or Treaty Investor must obtain a visa. Companies applying for an initial E1 Treaty Trader or E2 Treaty Investor visa are processed at the United States Consulate General in Toronto; visa renewals and visas for family members are processed in Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary. U.S. companies that require non-Canadian foreign business associates to travel to the United States should be advised that visa processing times can vary and may require additional time for administrative processing.

For more information, visit: ca.usembassy.gov/visas/treaty-trader-and-investor-visas/

United States Visas

Contact Consular Services at any of the United States Embassy and Consulates or Consulates General in Canada: ca.usembassy.gov/ and travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html

Currency

Canada’s official currency is the Canadian dollar ($). There are 100 cents (¢) in a dollar. Coins have varied sizes, shapes, and colors. They have nicknamed that Canadians use in everyday life. These include:
1¢         Penny (removed from circulation in 2012)
5¢        Nickel
10¢       Dime
25¢      Quarter
$1        Dollar or "loonie"
$2        Two Dollars or "toonie"
For more information, visit: www.cic.gc.ca/english/newcomers/after-money.asp

As of September 16, 2019, the exchange rate was $1.3248 Canadian dollar for one U.S. dollar.  The last time the Canadian dollar was valued higher than the United States dollar was January 2013, at C$0.99 for US$1.

Telecommunications/Electronics

Telecommunications networks are highly sophisticated in Canada and comparable to those in the United States. Canada is integrated with the United States direct-dial long-distance telephone system (dial 1, the area code, and the number). Most U.S. mobile phones work in Canada, although roaming and long-distance charges may apply. Some U.S. mobile phone companies offer combined U.S. and Canada coverage plans. All forms of communication and transmission are possible, including voice, text, data and video, over regular phone lines, broadband, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Transportation
Canada possesses an advanced transportation system comparable to that of the United States. Canada’s truck, air, and rail services are fully integrated with U.S. networks, providing efficient access to consumers and suppliers throughout North America.

Although all cities have reasonably priced public transport systems, Canada is as much an "automobile society" as the United States. Within 200 miles of the United States border, there is an excellent highway and freeway system that connects with major U.S. interstate highways at the border and supports heavy truck, bus, and automobile traffic. Canada is ranked number one for road provision among all G7 countries.

The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that links all 10 provinces of Canada. With the main route spanning 8,030 km (4,990 miles), the Trans-Canada Highway is one of the world's longest national highways and is recognizable by its distinctive white-on-green maple leaf route markers.

U.S. travelers should make note of both the similarities and differences when driving in Canada. Gasoline is sold in liters in Canada, and Canadian safety standards for cars are like those in the United States. International highway symbols are used in Canada, and distances and speed limits are posted in kilometers. Seat belts and infant/child seat restraints are mandatory in all Canadian provinces. Fines are imposed for non-use of seat belts and child restraints. Travelers renting cars in Canada during winter should make sure the vehicles are equipped with winter tires (mandatory in Quebec), because all-season tires lose traction in wintry weather.

Canada's railway system is the third largest among OECD countries at 73,000 km, with significant links to the United States. There is easy access to Canada's major ports and to interior communities through truck-rail intermodal services.

Canada has the world's longest inland waterway open to ocean shipping, the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. The Seaway provides a direct route to the industrial heart of North America. Major ports include Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, Port Cartier, Sept Iles/Pointe Noire, Saint John, and Quebec City. Modern container facilities at major ports connect with inland container trains to ensure rapid movement of goods throughout North America.

Canada's air transportation system includes 10 major international airports and more than 300 smaller ones. Toronto's Pearson Airport is the busiest airport in the country, handling almost one-third of all traffic.

Language

Canada has two official languages: English and French. All Government of Canada services and documents are available in the two languages. English is the official and most commonly spoken language in most provinces, except Quebec, where French is predominant. New Brunswick is the only official bilingual province where both languages are equally used.

Canada has attracted numerous immigrants in recent years, many of whom speak Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and a variety of Arabic dialects. According to Canada's 2006 census, the following are the top 10 languages Canadians speak as a home language and the relative importance in percentage of the country's total population:  English 20,584,775 (67.1 %), French 6,608,125 (21.5 %), Chinese 790,035 (2.6 %), Punjabi 500,000 (1.0 %), Spanish 209,955 (0.7 %), Italian 170,330 (0.6 %), Dutch 159,440 (0.6 %), Ukrainian 148,090 (0.5 %), Arabic 144,745 (0.5 %), and German 128,350 (0.4 %).

Health

The level of public health and sanitation in Canada is high. Although Canada's medical care is of high standard, health care is also government-controlled and rationed. Quick and easy access to ongoing medical care can be difficult for temporary visitors who are not members of each province's government-run health care plans, and many physicians will not take new patients. Access to a specialist is only by referral and may take months to obtain. Emergency room waits can be long. Some health care professionals in the province of Quebec may only speak French. Canadian health care providers do not accept U.S. domestic health insurance, and Medicare coverage does not extend outside the United States. Visitors who seek any medical attention in Canada should expect to pay in cash or by credit card and obtain a receipt and description of the treatment to file their own insurance claims. Traveler's medical insurance is highly recommended even for brief visits.

Most food and other consumables available in the United States can be found in Canada.

Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays

Canada has six time zones. Newfoundland time is 4 1/2 hours ahead of Pacific Time. Local business hours are Monday to Friday, with the workday generally starting between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. More at: www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/services/time/time_zones.html

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is now observed in all Canadian provinces, except for most of Saskatchewan, which observes Central Standard Time year-round even though it is in the Mountain Zone, effectively putting it on DST year-round. Under the Canadian Constitution, laws related to timekeeping are a purely provincial matter.

Canadian federal and provincial holidays overlap with some, but not all U.S. holidays, and differ by province. A complete list of 2017 national holidays are located at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/hldys/menu-eng.html.

Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings

Business visitors to Canada may bring certain personal goods into Canada duty- and tax-free, if all such items are declared to the Canada Border Services Agency upon arrival and are not subject to restriction. Further information on Canadian entry requirements for business travelers is available from the United States Department of State at: ca.usembassy.gov/visas/? _ga=1.153239736.1809786624.1458747197.

Business travelers to Canada may also be eligible for an exemption of the GST/HST sales taxes www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4022/ paid for certain expenses in Canada such as hotel accommodations.

Travel Related Web Resources

Canada Border Services Agency: cbsa.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
Canadian Embassy: www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/
Canadian Federal Holidays: https://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/remuneration-compensation/paye-centre-pay/feries-holidays-eng.html
International Travel Information—Canada: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html
U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada: ca.usembassy.gov/
GST/HST Sales Tax: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/gp/rc4022/
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program: step.state.gov/step/
State Department’s Traveler’s Checklist: travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/go/checklist.html
State Department U.S. Visas: travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services: www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: www.cbp.gov/
U.S. Department of State: www.state.gov/