Virtual Office Solutions for Opening a Canadian Branch Office

Expanding a foreign business overseas while maintaining profits and cost-efficiency can be a challenging feat. If you’re tackling all the business changes to move abroad in-house, it can come with a whole different set of obstacles.

The two most common ways in which foreigners can register to operate in Canada are through the registration of a Canadian brand or the incorporation of a Canadian subsidiary. Sometimes, foreign companies will just open a brand office to dip their toes in the market – because the cost of registering a branch office with the government is less expensive than potential legal fees with incorporating a subsidiary. Having only a branch office allows foreign companies an easier from Canada should they not see the results they were expecting in their expansion.
Thankfully, virtual office spaces can be an affordable and effective solution.

What is a virtual office address?

A virtual office gives businesses a physical office space without the overhead of signing a lease. A lot of flexible work spaces provide businesses with the perks of commercial offices and is a great option for those expanding to a new geographical location.

Where can foreign businesses open their branches in Canada?

Oftentimes, when companies want to expand into Canada, they will look to set up an office at a shared and private office space. What a lot of companies wanting to expand into Canada fail to realize is you don’t need to have a physical office in Canada to have a branch office.

Virtual office providers can give a company an address and a live receptionist who can send calls to a company employee or employees servicing the Canadian market. On top of that, they can also forward the local calls to the head office in the country of origin. Having someone at the virtual office provider who speaks the local language, has the same accent and knows the local geography, can be more persuasive to potential customers.

If a company has a branch office and hires local employees or ICTs (Intra-Company Transfers) that don’t need a full-time office, then a coworking office space can be the answer. For example, should an employee require an in-person meeting with a client, they can arrange a boardroom or meeting room. Should an employee need to work in the office for just the day, then a virtual office provider can provide them with a one day only rental.

What are the benefits of virtual office spaces for foreign companies in Canada?

Virtual offices provide foreign businesses with tons of benefits. As a whole, virtual offices are ideal because they help minimize overhead costs and commitments. Let’s take a look at some of the other benefits below:

Provide local address

In many countries, a business address is a legal requirement in order to receive all permits and licenses to operate abroad. Having a physical address that potential clients can visit legitimizes your business and it easier for them to trust you.

Cut down expenses

Virtual offices are a more affordable option for businesses wanting to move overseas. You can skip the upfront cost of office supplies, equipment and rent. Many coworking spaces have ergonomic and modern furniture and equipment for employees.

Make local connections

Another benefit to virtual office spaces is the opportunity to meet other locals from the country you’re expanding to. This allows your organization to network and possibly make connections with other businesses.

Receive administrative services

Most virtual office providers offer international mail forwarding services that get the mail to foreign customers. Some are starting to offer more modern solutions such as: Fax to email, where local faxes are sent to the company by email; Mail scanning services, where, for a small administrative charge, mail is scanned and emailed; and Cheque/Check depositing by photo (this is relatively new, but banks are now accepting photos of Cheques/Checks as a means of depositing money into a business account).

Not all branch offices require these additional services and not all virtual office providers offer them. Knowing that these additional services are available may help a small business owner to open a branch office without having to physically come to Canada.

How to set up your virtual office for your foreign business

Setting up your virtual office isn’t too challenging. Once you know where you want to go geographically and what your budget is, the process is fairly straightforward.

Find a virtual service provider

Once you’ve outlined your budget and the services you require for your business, it’s a lot easier to narrow down your available options. It’s important to note that not all virtual offices are created equal. Some might provide you with mail services and phone number, while others don’t. It’s recommended that you do your research before picking your virtual service provider.

Choose the right services for your business

Each virtual office has their own set of perks. So it’s important to choose the ones that make the most sense for your business. A few basic ones include:

  • Local phone numbers
  • Phone answering service and voicemail
  • Mail forwarding services
  • Management services
  • Meeting and boardroom rentals
  • Hot desking

Confirm your office space

After you confirm which office space you want for your foreign business, you can go ahead with the application process. Once approved, you can get your foreign business plans rolling!

At Telsec, we provide our customers with modern and functional shared office space solutions with the benefits of additional services. Book a tour with us today for more information and find your next coworking office space in Toronto!

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Hotels

1. Jennifer Smith
General Manager
The Omni King Edward Hotel
37 King Street East
Toronto, ON
M5C 1E9
Tel: 416-863-9700
Website: www.omnihotels.com/hotels/toronto-king-edward

2. Mark Perry
General Manager
Executive Hotels and Resorts (Boutique)
8 Colborne Street
Toronto, ON
M5E 1E1
Tel: 416-350-2419
Website: www.spazen.ca or www.cosmotoronto.com

3. Emeline Boul
General Manager
Hotel Victoria (Boutique)
56 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M5E 1G5
Tel: 416-363-1666
Mobile: 647-574-5832
Website: www.hotelvictoriatoronto.com

4. Omkar Sawant
Reservations Manager
One King West Hotel
1 King Street West
Toronto, ON
M5H 1A1
Main: 416-548-8100
Reservations: 1-866-470-5464
Website: www.onekingwest.com

5. Van Nguyen
General Manager
Cambridge Suites Toronto
15 Richmond Street East
Toronto, ON
M5C 1N2
Direct: 416-601-3757
Hotel: 416-368-1990
Website: www.cambridgesuitestoronto.com

Restaurants

1. Michael Pagliaro
Carisma (Italian)
15 Toronto Street
Toronto, ON
M5C 2E3
Tel: 416-864-7373
Website: www.carismarestaurant.com

2. Patti Shaw
Terroni (Italian)
57 Adelaide Street East
Toronto, ON
M5C 1K6
Tel: 416-203-3093
Website: www.terroni.com

3. Declan
Restaurant 20 Victoria – Michelin guide approved
20 Victoria Street
Toronto, ON
M5C 2A1
Tel: 416-804-6066
Instagram for reservations: https://www.instagram.com/twentyvictoria/

4. Mana
Nami (Japanese)
55 Adelaide Street East
Toronto, ON
M5C 1K6
Tel: 416-362-7373
Website: www.namirestaurant.ca

5. Restaurant Lucie
100 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M5C 2W1
Tel: 416-788-9054
Website: www.restaurantlucie.com

6. Niam H
Cantina Mercatto
20 Wellington Street East
Toronto, ON
M5E 1C5
Tel: 416-304-0781
Website: www.cantinamercatto.ca

7. Siva Sathasivam
Uncle Tony’s
38 Wellington St E
Toronto, ON
M5E 1C7
Tel: 416-455-6650
Website: https://uncletonys.ca/

8. Pizzaiolo
104 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
M5C 2Y6
Tel: 416-860-0700
Website: www.pizzaiolo.ca

9. Robin Singh
Woods Restaurant and Bar
45 Colborne Street
Toronto, ON
M5E 1E3
Tel: 416-214-9918
Website: www.woodsrestaurant.ca

Health and Wellness

1. Thom Tullo
Morpheus8 by Inmode
47 Colborne Street
Toronto, ON
M5E 1E3
Tel: 416-863-6564
Website: www.amanspa.ca

2. Altitude Athletic Training
56 Colborne Street
Toronto, ON
M5E 1E3
Tel: 416-366-3838
Website: www.altitudeathletictraining.com

3. Physioheath Studios
33 Victoria Street, #130
Toronto, ON
M5C 2A1
Tel: 416-368-2525
Website: www.physiohealth.com

Our Amenities

We are by far the most experienced and best coworking team in the market – established in 1980

  • We are the highest Tech centre in the market
  • We have a very modern, high quality, brand new facility located at:

   18 King Street East, Suite 1400

      Toronto, Ontario   M5C 1C4 Canada

    • 18 King Street East is a boutique Class A building – East of Yonge: easy street parking, less traffic, excellent restaurants and lovely parks – St. James Park @ Church & King and Berczy Park @ Wellington East, Scott and Front Streets – Very high energy and engaging area
    • A few steps (a few seconds) to the Yonge Street subway/underground PATH network and streetcar available outside building
    • Building is located in Toronto's vibrant financial district
    • Plenty of parking available in the area including street parking and reserved parking in the 18 King building 
    • Adjacent to the building huge outdoor food courtyard - Beer Bistro www.beerbistro.com and Craft Beer Market www.craftbeermamrket.ca restaurants and bars with onsite catering services
    • Onsite amenities:  Tim Horton's, Beer Bistro, Convenience store and Starbucks across the street 
    • Nearby amenities:  underground PATH network, numerous restaurants, banking, Starbucks plus a wide array of nearby shops and services 
    • New modernized office layout fully furnished with meeting spaces and training rooms plus café lounge area
    • We are leaders in the service of training/meeting rooms with full conference facilities, high quality hot and cold catering
    • Largest training room and conference facilities accommodate up to 60 people classroom style
    • Ultra-high-speed - 1 GIG pipe = 1,000 x 1000 fiber-optic network, which will deliver internet connection speeds faster than most North American services
    • Private shower room
    • Indoor Reserved Parking at the current building rental rate
    • Bicycle parking
    • Rent a space to accommodate your team for meetings, training sessions, corporate events or coworking space or flexible office space for one day, one week, one month or one year, or whatever term suits your business
    • Telsec has over 650 locations in 40 different countries worldwide available for their clients.  Office clients receive up to 8 hours of meeting space per month at no charge at any ABCN member location.  Plus, Office and Virtual Office clients may rent a space from any member location at special member rates which varies depending on the location 
    • King Edward Hotel is located across the street - recently completed a $40 million renovation and boutique hotels close by within walking distance
  • Dining and entertainment at high quality restaurants only minutes away – Carisma, Terroni, Woods Restaurant & Bar and Michelin Rated - Restaurant 20 Victoria. Plus numerous lunch and takeout eateries nearby

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Take a look at our facilities www.telsec.net    

Telsec will Customize Your Client’s Office(s) Layout to Meet Their Requirements

You are welcome to drop-in any-time, a quick call would be appreciated to ensure our availability Vanessa 416-574-1112 or Josie 416-606-4349 or e-mail josie@telsec.net.