Working Holidaymaker Advice - Telecommuting?

[canadiangirl]

Hello all,

I am a 26 year old programmer who has been working for her current employer for almost two years now. It's a small dotcom company in Canada that is going strong and currently expanding. I am usually working from the office, yet I do spend some of my time telecommuting from home, as well as we do employ others who telecommute every workday of the year.

I am now looking to move to the UK to live with my partner for two years, after which I will be moving back to Canada (with the boyfriend hopefully returning with me, since after two years we would be considered common-law by Canadian Immigration laws), and I intend fully to still be working for this current employer when I return if at all possible (I love this job, I don't want to leave it, I will if absolutely necessary to spend time with boyfriend, but I would rather have best of both worlds!). My boyfriend and I would definitely not be getting married during this two year period, so the government need not worry about us eloping, etc.

Background on our relationship: We dated about ten years ago and I visited him in the UK while we were dating in 1998, which I can prove with plane tickets, pictures, and emails. We stopped dating, remained friends since then, until last Fall when I told him I still had feelings, and he told me he felt the same. Since then, he has visited me in Canada for 8 days in Dec/Jan, I visited him for 7 days in March, and he will be visiting me again in June for 7 days. We know we are meant to be, but do not want to get married yet as we are only 25 and 26 and neither of us like to rush into things. This long distance stuff is hard, so we would like to spend the two years living together as an unmarried couple.

Background on him: He is 25, university graduate, working in the computer security industry. He rents a room from one of his best friends (who owns a house), and makes more than enough money - he would be able to support me if need be. I would rather he not support me though, which is why I would like to figure out what I can do regarding employment. We are planning to live at his friend's for the first few months until we find a flat to rent.

I would like to ask my employer to keep me on, and let me telecommute from the UK, but before I do, I would like to know if this is even an option? I can't find much info on the net re: the WHM - what I do find is a listing of basic points. I know I am not allowed to "take work in the UK for more than 12 months" of the 2 years, but I would like to know if telecommuting would fall under those restrictions. If I am able, I would be working from our home in the UK, logged into servers located in Canada, being paid in Canadian money, and paying Canadian taxes (I would assume).

if this is not an option, I do not know what my options are. Can I apply, or can my employer apply for a work permit for me to work from the UK for this company?

I would love if anyone could point me in the right direction for info. I don't know what exactly I can and cannot do in this situation and I am just so confused. I really want to speak to my employer as soon as possible, because I would like to move in August/September. But before I would speak to him, I would like to know my options and to fully research this, so I actually know what I'm talking about.

If anyone could point out any problems they possibly forsee for me, or give me any helpful hints aswell, that would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance!