It seems that every minute there’s yet another update on the global response to coronavirus. Just a week ago companies were starting to send employees home. Today, countries are closing their borders and restricting travel.
And Canada is no exception. On March 16, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closing of Canada’s borders to everyone other than Canadian citizens and permanent residents (PRs), noting a few exceptions including aircrews, diplomats, immediate family members, and US citizens.
For Canadian nationals living in the US, especially those working on TN, H-1B, or other visas, however, this created a dilemma. Stay in the US and keep working (remotely at home) and away from family, or can I go home to Canada but keep working remotely for my current US company?
Stay put or go back to Canada?
Different people made this decision for different reasons, but it may be worth noting a few of the main considerations.
Being with friends and family
The current best practice around the world to stem the growth of coronavirus is staying away from other people as much as possible – a practice that’s been dubbed “social distancing”.
While reportedly effective to keep the transmission of the virus down, it can be very isolating and lonely, especially for individuals who are used to working in an office, being around other people, and otherwise being social.
And for Canadians living in the US, particularly for work, they may not have family or close friends around in the US to be with as they lock themselves up at home to work remotely.
They may have friends, family, and loved ones back home that they want to be with for any number of reasons, and so Trudeau’s push to get Canadians back home may just send them packing, at least for the time being.
Opting for Canadian healthcare
Not everyone in the US has health insurance, and even if they do, the quality of that health insurance can vary quite a bit.
So part of the Canadian government’s plea to get its people home is based on the fact that Canada provides social health care to all its citizens and PRs and the country doesn’t want its people stranded around the world in countries that may not provide the same level of treatment, including, in some instances, the US
This is especially important for those on vacation around the world where they may have, at best, travel insurance, but it also applies to those working in the US at large companies that otherwise provide good health insurance.
The instances above are just two examples of why Canadians may feel the urge to return to Canada during this global health crisis.
So if you have Canadian employees that are looking to move home, at least for the time being, how can you keep them working and on the payroll across the border?
Keep your Canadian staff employed in Canada during coronavirus through a PEO
A professional employer organization, otherwise known as a PEO, may be your answer to keeping that really talented Canadian software engineer, data analyst, or marketing director employed while they scramble to get back home during the current coronavirus crisis.
What does a PEO do, exactly? According to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), “Professional employer organizations (PEOs) provide human resource services for their small business clients—paying wages and taxes and often assisting with compliance with myriad state and federal rules and regulations.
In addition, many PEOs also provide workers with access to 401(k) plans, health, dental and life insurance, dependent care, and other benefits not typically provided by small businesses.”
In other words, US-based companies can hire individuals in, say, Canada without having to open an official office.
NAPEO goes on to say that by using a PEO, companies can “cost-effectively outsource the management of human resources, employee benefits, payroll and workers’ compensation. PEO clients can thus focus on their core competencies to maintain and grow their bottom line.”
This means that if you have an employee who is Canadian and wants to go back home right away to Canada to be with their family or for whatever other reason, they can keep working for you without having to open up an official Canadian office.
Of course, if that individual is working on a US work visa, it’s important to work with your US immigration lawyer to make sure everything is allowed and legal.
Want to try a PEO for your Canadian employees? Syndesus is here to help!
If you’re new to the whole PEO thing, we can help you. At Syndesus, our general focus is helping US tech companies employ workers remotely in Canada.
With Coronavirus making some Canadians in the US think about returning home, US employers run the risk of their talent leaving the US for the foreseeable future. With Syndesus, you can retain that very employee and have them start working for you in no time in Canada and keep the business running as usual.
So f you want to keep that key Canadian employee as they move back home to Canada for potentially the next few months, please reach out to us – we’ll help you figure out the best course of action to take and how to keep your business running throughout this hectic time.
