Working for a U.S. company from Canada

Canadians can work remotely for U.S. companies, and many do. The company needs a way to employ or pay you in Canada, you generally pay Canadian tax on the income, and your rights depend on whether you are an employee or a contractor. InfraDev has employed Canadians for U.S. teams since 2016, and our talent network of more than 1,000 professionals hears about U.S. roles first.

Published November 7, 2026

Technology and business roles with U.S. teams, employed in Canada

Can a Canadian work remotely for a U.S. company?

Yes. Canadians work remotely for U.S. companies every day, and it is legal as long as you are entitled to work in Canada. The U.S. company needs a way to pay you in Canada: as an employee through an employer of record, as an independent contractor, or through a Canadian subsidiary if it has one.

What the U.S. company cannot easily do is put you on its U.S. payroll. Employing someone in Canada means a CRA payroll account, Canadian source deductions and provincial employment standards. Most U.S. companies use an employer of record for this rather than setting it up themselves.

Three ways a U.S. company can pay you

The arrangement decides your deductions, your protections and your paperwork.

Employee through an employer of record, independent contractor, or employee of a Canadian subsidiary
Employee through an employer of recordIndependent contractorEmployee of a Canadian subsidiary
Who employs you The employer of record, in Canada, on the U.S. company’s behalfNobody: you run your own business and invoice the companyThe U.S. company’s own Canadian entity
Income tax Deducted from every pay; you receive a T4You pay it yourself, usually in instalmentsDeducted from every pay; you receive a T4
CPP and EI Deducted, with the employer’s share paid on topYou pay both halves of CPP; no regular EIDeducted, with the employer’s share paid on top
Vacation, holidays, notice Provincial employment standards applyWhatever your contract saysProvincial employment standards apply
Group benefits Where the employer offers themYou arrange your ownWhere the employer offers them
Typical fit Ongoing roles inside the U.S. teamGenuinely independent, project-based workCompanies with a large Canadian team

The CRA decides whether you are an employee or a contractor from how the work is actually done, not from the contract’s title. How the CRA decides.

Do you pay U.S. or Canadian tax when you work from Canada for a U.S. company?

If you live in Canada and do the work in Canada, you generally pay Canadian tax on that income, not U.S. tax, because tax follows where you live and where the work is performed. U.S. citizens and green card holders are the exception: they still file U.S. returns wherever they live.

Your tax residency depends on your ties to Canada, such as your home, your family and where you normally live: see the CRA’s guide to determining your residency status. As an employee, tax is deducted from each pay and reported on a T4. As a contractor, you set money aside and pay it yourself. This is general information, not tax advice; your situation may differ.

Finding U.S. remote roles through our network

U.S. companies send us their job descriptions, and we share them with our network of more than 1,000 Canadian professionals. Nobody browses the network: you are presented only for roles you have chosen.

  1. Join the network

    Send us your details and, if you are actively looking, your CV.

  2. Roles are announced

    When a U.S. client sends us a job description, we share it with professionals in that field.

  3. You say yes or no

    You are presented to a client only for roles you have told us you want.

  4. We employ you in Canada

    If you are hired, InfraDev employs you in Canada and you work with the U.S. team.

Fields we hire for most often

  • Software developers
  • Cloud and DevOps engineers
  • Cyber security professionals
  • IT consultants
  • GRC and compliance specialists
  • Accounting and finance
  • Human resources
  • Technical project managers
  • Operations and administrative support

Join the talent network See current roles

Already have an offer from a U.S. company?

If a U.S. company wants to hire you but has no way to employ you in Canada, we can employ you on its behalf.

  1. Tell the hiring manager

    Explain that you live in Canada and that a Canadian employer of record can employ you on their behalf.

  2. Share our details

    Send them this page or our Employer of Record page. A 15-minute call covers cost and timing.

  3. Start work

    Once terms are agreed, most hires start within 24–48 hours, on Canadian payroll with deductions handled.

Employer of Record for your employer

Frequently asked questions

Working remotely from Canada for a U.S. employer.

Can a Canadian work remotely for a U.S. company?

Yes. Canadians work remotely for U.S. companies every day, and it is legal as long as you are entitled to work in Canada. The U.S. company needs a way to pay you in Canada: as an employee through an employer of record, as an independent contractor, or through a Canadian subsidiary if it has one.

Do you pay U.S. or Canadian tax when you work from Canada for a U.S. company?

If you live in Canada and do the work in Canada, you generally pay Canadian tax on that income, not U.S. tax, because tax follows where you live and where the work is performed. U.S. citizens and green card holders are the exception: they still file U.S. returns wherever they live.

How do U.S. companies hire Canadians if they have no Canadian entity?

Most use an employer of record, which employs the person in Canada, runs Canadian payroll and applies provincial employment standards, while the U.S. company directs the work. The alternative is an independent contractor arrangement, which suits genuinely independent work but leaves the worker without employee protections. Compare employee and contractor.

Can I work remotely for a U.S. company on a Canadian work permit?

It depends on your permit. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can work for any employer. An open work permit generally allows any employer, while an employer-specific permit ties you to the employer named on it. Check your permit's conditions with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before accepting an offer.

Can an international student in Canada work remotely for a U.S. company?

Only within the limits of your study permit. Off-campus work for students is restricted in hours and eligibility, and those rules change. Check the current conditions with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada before you accept any role.

Where can Canadian professionals find U.S. remote roles?

Through U.S. job boards that allow work from Canada, direct outreach to U.S. hiring managers, and networks that work with U.S. employers. InfraDev’s talent network of more than 1,000 Canadian professionals hears about roles from the U.S. companies we work with, and members are presented only for roles they choose.

Will I get vacation and benefits if a U.S. company employs me through InfraDev?

Yes, vacation, statutory holidays and notice follow the employment standards of the province where you work, as for any Canadian employee. Group benefits depend on what the U.S. company chooses to offer, and we administer them.

Sources

InfraDev's team reviews this page twice a year and when a rule it describes changes. General information, not legal or tax advice. How we review our guides · Report an error

Looking for your next U.S. role from Canada?

Join our talent network and hear about roles from U.S. companies we work with. You are presented only for the roles you choose.

Join the talent network See current roles