Some of the most popular American movies and TV series are filmed in Alberta. Some of the big-name productions that were filmed in Alberta such as Ghostbuster, Fraggle Rock, Interstellar, The Last of Us, and Fargo.
Recently it was announced by the government of Alberta that they would invest more in the TV and film sector.
It is said by the minister of Alberta, that the production value of the film industry has doubled in Alberta and it is becoming one of the fastest-growing industries in Alberta.
The total budget of Alberta for the film and television tax program credit for the year 2022 to 2023 is $70 million and for 2024 to 2025 is $225 million.
Increased investment in film and television tax credits means more actions for the province of Alberta in the upcoming years, said Schweitzer.
The eventual aim is to grow the film sector to $1.5 billion over the next decade.
Since January 2020, when it was launched, the Film and Television Tax Credit has attracted 62 productions in Alberta, expected to cost the province $621 million and generate more than 12,500 direct and indirect jobs. It also provides a Tax Credit Certificate to Alberta Productions to those who are eligible for labor costs to corporations that produce films. This certificate is refundable for television series and other screen-based productions in Alberta.
The Film and Television Tax Credit are the complements of the Alberta-made production and it is also part of the commitment of the government to growing the culture of Alberta’s industries by 25% over the next decennary.
Visa and work permit for the production firm
The Government of Canada has created a work permit class to make it easier for staff of essential productions to work in Canada.
The crew members of the films who are qualified for the TV and Film Production Work Permit category may be exempted from the requirement to take a labor market test called the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Eligibility for an LMIA exemption depends on whether the role of the workers is necessary for production. For the reason that there is no comprehensive list of “essential personnel”, the definition of it is open to interpretation. Given that “essential” can differ from one situation to another situation, it is determined on the basis of a case-by-case situation.
Some entertainment workers may require a business visitor visa as an alternative to a work permit.
There are three categories of entertainment industry professionals given below who are considered business visitors in Alberta:
- Film Producers: Those producers who are traveling to Canada to work on foreign-funded films, documentaries, or TV shows. The entire project must be funded by the foreign and association between the companies and entities of Canada do not eligible.
- Crucial personnel: Those producers who are visiting Canada on a foreign-funded commercial shoot in Alberta. These workers are visiting Canada for short period, the duration of visiting is usually two weeks only. What constitutes “essential personal” is determined based on the case-by-case situation and depends largely on evidence provided by the production company.
- Performing actors: Those actors who are appearing at a show, festival, concert, or guest location on a TV series or film being shoot in Canada. Their reason for visiting Canada is a limited time occupancy, and they may be considered business visitors in the province. Performing actors may require a work permit visa only in Cases of reoccurring regular performances.
Whether your production is moving to Alberta or any other province, before moving you need to know about your options to ensure a trouble-free journey across the border. An Immigration lawyer from Canada will help you to find out which visa and work permit you need to visit Canada for your work.
