Canada has been inviting TV and film industry people to come and work in the country since last summer. And the industry is now booming despite the coronavirus pandemic.
In the province of Ontario, there are around 87 large productions such as major TV series like Star Trek, Chucky, See, Locke and Key.
TV workers on production sets have to comply with the health and safety guidelines issued by the government. This has helped in keeping the COVID-19 cases low and confining the spread of the virus.
As per a survey conducted, it was identified that only 0.1 percent of people working in the TV and film sector contracted the virus. This shows that the industry is working in a disciplined manner and following all the safety guidelines.
Apart from the popular cities such as Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto, the TV industry is doing well in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Alberta.
The province of Alberta has removed funding caps. So, it would be beneficial for high-budget productions to work in the province.
The federal government has also declared a Short-Term Compensation Fund to support productions during the lockdowns. Recently, the Ministry of Canadian Heritage increased the coverage up to $149 million.
Work in Canada as a film industry worker
Canada provides a few work permit options to TV and Film industry international workers. They can come to Canada and secure the right to work through a business visitor visa. These workers do not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment. An LMIA is a document that is required to show that no Canadian is ready to perform job duties despite advertising the vacant job position.
Workers who are exempt from the LMIA requirement belong to the essential occupations and are eligible to travel to Canada under the Television and Film Production Workers immigration category.
Other workers coming to Canada to work in the TV industry might require applying for a work permit.
