US film and TV productions are to resume shooting in Canada

The film and TV productions from the US are returning to Canada to resume filming even during travel restrictions. The film and TV productions closed down in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many major production centers are re-opening and have started exempting permits for filming. According to The Hollywood Reporter, travel restrictions might improve Hollywood’s participation in shooting films in Canada. The US dollar has a comparatively stronger standing against the Canadian currency, which will help the US productions to minimize the costs. Moreover, with all the travel restrictions being in force, that is, limited flights and shutting off markets, Canada implies to be a feasible option for many American producers. But there is a process to be followed by all the production workers to get past the travel restrictions of the country, including there should be no symptoms of coronavirus in those workers and they should be able to spend 14 days in quarantine. Also, they have to show the requirement of them being in Canada to carry out their employment activities to the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) officer. Other additional requirements for the travelers include abiding by the quarantine and public health obligations mentioned on the website of different provinces and territories. And in the port of entry cases, a CBSA officer determines if the applicant will be exempted a work permit or not, based on the details provided to him at the time of processing.

Work Permits in Canada for foreign TV and Film personnel

The foreign TV and film production workers do not need the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which is compulsory for other work permit holders. The purpose of the LMIA is to determine the requirement of foreign workers in any particular occupation or sector in the country. Another significant feature of an LMIA is to ensure that any job position is filled by any international worker only if the employer was not able to find a qualified Canadian worker. Personnel from the film and TV productions, including actors, crew members, and workers, are eligible to obtain the Significant Benefit Work Permit. And for this permit, candidates do not require an LMIA, as film crews contribute to the cultural and economic value of the country. The reason for not taking an LMIA in this work permit is, issuing work permits to film and TV production workers can result in more positive impressions compared to the negative effects that can be caused for not doing an LMIA. On the other hand, producers can submit an application as business investors per their eligibility. To qualify under this category, a producer has to prove their credentials as a film producer by submitting their CV. As well as, their production must be a commercial shoot to meet eligibility. The term commercial shoot states that the purpose is to advertise and promote any specific product or service. The US film and TV industries have always preferred Canada for filming over the years. The mutual support of Canada and the US has resulted in the production of many famous Hollywood movies such as Titanic (1997), Interstellar (2005), Twilight (2008), Fantastic Four (2015), and many more in the row. Recently, Guillermo Del Toro was filming in his new feature, Nightmare Alley, in Toronto, which was impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, he expects to resume the shooting during winters this year, says IndieWire.