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If I live in Canada and work remotely for a U.S. company, does it count toward EB-1C?

Working remotely from abroad for a U.S. company rarely qualifies on its own for EB-1C: the required multinational transfer relationship is missing. Learn what the category actually demands.

Written by

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Updated on July 11, 2026
1 min read
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On its own, living outside the U.S. and working remotely for an American company generally is not enough for the EB-1C. The category was not designed for remote work in isolation, but rather for the transfer of an executive or manager from an overseas company to a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate in the U.S.

The central issue is the qualifying corporate relationship: you must demonstrate that you served, outside the U.S., in a managerial or executive capacity at the same company or another entity within the same group, as part of a real and organized multinational structure. Working remotely, without that hierarchy and without a well-documented ownership relationship between the entities, tends to weaken the case.

  • EB-1C is based on an intracompany transfer within a multinational group.
  • You must establish that you held a managerial or executive role abroad.
  • Remote work alone typically does not constitute that kind of transfer.

Because every corporate arrangement is different and the analysis is case by case, it is worth reviewing your company structure with a specialist and checking the updated requirements on the USCIS website before filing.

Learn more about EB-1

Category
EB-1 Green Card (1st priority)
Requirement
Extraordinary ability
Self-petition
Allowed (no sponsor needed)
Processing
6-18 months
All about EB-1

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.

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If I live in Canada and work remotely for a U.S. company, does it count toward EB-1C?

Working remotely from abroad for a U.S. company rarely qualifies on its own for EB-1C: the required multinational transfer relationship is missing. Learn what the category actually demands.

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