Canada offers expedited work permit processing for TV and Film workers.
The world has seen Alberta in some of the most popular American films and TV series. Big production film companies are active in Alberta. The Alberta provincial government recently announced it would be investing more in the film and TV sector.
“Alberta’s film industry has doubled in production value and is becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in the province.
Alberta’s budget includes a total of $70 million for the Film and Television Tax Credit Program for 2022 to 2023 and $225 million through 2024 to 2025.
The ultimate goal is to increase the film sector by $1.5 billion over the next decade.
Since January 2020, the Film and Television Tax Credit has attracted 62 productions to Alberta that are expected to spend $621 million in the province and generate more than 12,500 direct and indirect jobs. It offers a refundable Alberta tax credit certificate on eligible Alberta production and labour costs to corporations that produce films, television series and other eligible screen-based productions in the province.
The Canadian government has created a work permit class to make it easier for essential production staff to work in Canada.
Film crewmembers who are eligible for the TV and Film Production Work Permit Category may be exempt from needing to do a labour market test called a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Depending on the job positions some may not need work permit and a business visitor visa will be issued.
There are three categories of entertainment industry professionals who can receive consideration as business visitors:
- Film producers who are travelling to Canada to work on a foreign-financed movie, TV show, or documentary. The project must be entirely funded from abroad, and therefore collaborations between foreign production companies and Canadian entities do not qualify.
- Essential personnel who are coming to Canada to work on a foreign-financed commercial shoot. These workers must be entering Canada for short durations, usually no longer than two weeks.
- Performing artists who are performing at a show, concert, festival, or appearing in a guest spot on a TV series or film that is being shot in Canada. As long as their reason for entering Canada constitutes a limited-time engagement, they may be considered business visitors.
