The SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) program offers significant tax credits for Canadian companies doing R&D. But can you claim it for work done by offshore teams? The answer is nuanced — here's what you need to know.
SR&ED Eligibility for Offshore Work
SR&ED credits generally apply to work performed in Canada by Canadian employees. However, up to 10% of total SR&ED-eligible expenditures can include foreign-performed work (subcontractor payments). The key is structuring the engagement so that the technological advancement direction and decisions happen in Canada.
Documentation Requirements
Maintain contemporaneous records: technical uncertainty descriptions, hypotheses tested, iterations performed, and results achieved. Keep all Slack/email communications showing Canadian-based direction of the R&D work. Document which specific technical problems were solved through systematic investigation.
📥 무료 다운로드: 2026 베트남 오프쇼어 개발 비용 가이드
실제 개발자 단가, 프로젝트 비용 내역, 예산 기획 템플릿. 200명 이상의 스타트업 창업자가 사용 중.
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NKKTech은 AI Automation 프로젝트를 $20K부터 제공합니다.
고정 범위. 베트남 시니어 엔지니어. 14일 킥오프.
Maximizing Your SR&ED Claim
Structure your offshore engagement with a Canadian technical lead who directs the R&D. Keep AI model training, algorithm design, and architecture decisions in Canada. Use offshore teams for implementation under Canadian technical direction. Consult an SR&ED advisor before starting — proper structure from day one maximizes claims.
📥 무료 다운로드: 2026 베트남 오프쇼어 개발 비용 가이드
실제 개발자 단가, 프로젝트 비용 내역, 예산 기획 템플릿. 200명 이상의 스타트업 창업자가 사용 중.
구축할 준비가 되셨나요?
NKKTech은 AI Automation 프로젝트를 $20K부터 제공합니다.
고정 범위. 베트남 시니어 엔지니어. 14일 킥오프.

10+ years building AI systems for Toyota, Sony, and Rakuten in Japan. Founded NKKTech in 2018 with a senior-only engineering model.
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Planning AI R&D with offshore teams? Let's structure it for SR&ED eligibility.
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