Regulation 186(s) of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the “Regulations“) regulates when crew members are permitted to work in Canada without first obtaining a work permit. The Regulations state: R186(s). A foreign national may work in Canada without a work permit as a member of a crew who is employed by a foreign company aboard a means of transportation that (i) is foreign-owned and not registered in Canada, and (ii) is engaged primarily in international transportation Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC“) has published helpful guidance as to how this Regulation is to be interpreted (the “Guidelines“). What is a Member of a Crew As per the Guidelines, on a cruise ship, crew members include: licensed officers: master, first officer, chief officer or chief mate, first engineer or chief engineer, and subordinate officers and engineers; non-licensed crew: ordinary seamen, able-bodied seamen, bosun (deck crew foreman), engine- room crew (oilers and fitters), and kitchen and mess-room staff (cooks, stewards and messmen); and the hotel manager, cruise director, purser, medical staff, managers and staff of the ship’s bars, restaurants, boutiques and casino, as well as house-cleaning staff and entertainers. Crew members do not include: supernumeraries: spouses, children and other dependants of crew … Read More