Selling data to AI companies from Canada

Of the 24 buyers of company records whose pages we read, 6 say they take holders from anywhere, work with holders abroad or list Canada, 2 take holders abroad but rank the US first, 1 would not take a holder here, and 15 say nothing about where a holder can be based. Buyers' own estimators value a company here at 0.71 times the same company in the US. The US withholds 0% of a licence fee paid to a holder here under its tax treaty, when the holder claims it. Before a licence, PIPEDA asks heavy work of the holder: each person's consent or anonymisation to a strict standard, with no legitimate interest route, and an impact assessment and written agreement in Quebec. This is research from public sources, not legal or tax advice.

Privacy work before a licence: Heavy (PIPEDA)
US withholding on a licence fee: 0% under the treaty
Price against a US company: 0.71 times
We sell for holders here: Yes

What PIPEDA asks before a licence

Records about a company alone are outside privacy law. Every record that names or can identify a person (a customer, a member of staff, a caller, someone named in an email) is inside it, and these are the points that decide whether it can be licensed. Our reading first, then the law in its own words.

Using records for a new purpose

Consent is the rule: personal information may not be used or disclosed for a purpose not identified when it was collected without the person's consent, and PIPEDA has no legitimate interest ground. The business transaction exception excludes a deal whose purpose is selling personal information, and the research exception needs consent to be impracticable and notice to the Commissioner. Quebec requires consent for any new use, express for sensitive information.

The 8 sources it rests on, in their own words

PIPEDA Schedule 1, clause 4.2.4: a purpose not previously identified needs the individual's consent (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5, Schedule 1, cl. 4.2.4)
“When personal information that has been collected is to be used for a purpose not previously identified, the new purpose shall be identified prior to use. Unless the new purpose is required by law, the consent of the individual is required before information can be used for that purpose.”
PIPEDA Schedule 1, clause 4.5: no use or disclosure for other purposes without consent (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5, Schedule 1, cl. 4.5)
“Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law.”
PIPEDA section 5(3): only purposes a reasonable person would consider appropriate (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5, s. 5(3))
“An organization may collect, use or disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider are appropriate in the circumstances.”
PIPEDA section 7.2(4): the business transaction exception excludes the sale or lease of personal information itself (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5, s. 7.2(4))
“Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to a business transaction of which the primary purpose or result is the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition, or lease, of personal information.”
PIPEDA section 7(3)(f): disclosure without consent for statistical or scholarly research (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2000, c. 5, s. 7(3)(f))
“for statistical, or scholarly study or research, purposes that cannot be achieved without disclosing the information, it is impracticable to obtain consent and the organization informs the Commissioner of the disclosure before the information is disclosed”
OPC, Guidelines for obtaining meaningful consent: third parties that use data for their own purposes, and new purposes (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Guidelines for obtaining meaningful consent (page modified 2025-08-11))
“Particular attention should be paid to any disclosures to third parties that may use the information for their own purposes, as opposed to simply providing services for the first-party. ... Obtain consent when making significant changes to privacy practices, including use of data for new purposes or disclosures to new third parties. ... Obtain explicit consent for collections, uses or disclosures which generally: (i) involves sensitive information; (ii) are outside the reasonable expectations of the individual; and/or (iii) create a meaningful residual risk of significant harm.”
Quebec private sector Act, section 12: use for another purpose needs consent or an exception (Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, CQLR c. P-39.1, s. 12, as amended by S.Q. 2021, c. 25 (in force 22 September 2023))
“Unless the person concerned gives his consent, personal information may not be used within the enterprise except for the purposes for which it was collected. ... (5) if its use is necessary for study or research purposes or for the production of statistics and if the information is de-identified. ... However, commercial or philanthropic prospection may not be considered a consistent purpose.”
Quebec private sector Act, section 13: communicating personal information to a third person needs consent (Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, CQLR c. P-39.1, s. 13, as amended by S.Q. 2021, c. 25 (in force 22 September 2023))
“No person may communicate to a third person the personal information he holds on another person, unless the person concerned consents to, or this Act provides for, such communication. Such consent must be given expressly when it concerns sensitive personal information.”

Sending personal data to a buyer in the US

Canada has no list of approved countries and does not bar sending data to the US; the holder stays accountable, binds the buyer by contract and tells people their data may be in the US. In Quebec the holder must first run a privacy impact assessment and sign a written agreement.

The 3 sources it rests on, in their own words

OPC, Guidelines for processing personal data across borders: no ban and no adequacy list, accountability stays with the sender (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Guidelines for processing personal data across borders)
“However, organizations not governed by PIPEDA for commercial activities within a province need to be aware that PIPEDA applies to transborder transfers. ... PIPEDA does not prohibit organizations in Canada from transferring personal information to an organization in another jurisdiction for processing. ... The transferring organization is accountable for the information in the hands of the organization to which it has been transferred.”
OPC, Guidelines for processing personal data across borders: say plainly that foreign authorities may access the data (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Guidelines for processing personal data across borders)
“Organizations need to make it plain to individuals that their information may be processed in a foreign country and that it may be accessible to law enforcement and national security authorities of that jurisdiction. They must do this in clear and understandable language.”
Quebec private sector Act, section 17: privacy impact assessment before communicating information outside Quebec (Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, CQLR c. P-39.1, s. 17, as amended by S.Q. 2021, c. 25 (in force 22 September 2023))
“Before communicating personal information outside Québec, a person carrying on an enterprise must conduct a privacy impact assessment. ... The information may be communicated if the assessment establishes that it would receive adequate protection, in particular in light of generally recognized principles regarding the protection of personal information. The communication of the information must be the subject of a written agreement that takes into account, in particular, the results of the assessment and, if applicable, the terms agreed on to mitigate the risks identified in the assessment.”

Anonymised and de-identified data

Outside the law only if there is no serious possibility of re-identifying anyone; stripping names, phone numbers and emails was not enough in the regulator's 2026 finding. Quebec requires irreversible anonymisation under a regulation with a qualified supervisor and a documented risk analysis.

The 3 sources it rests on, in their own words

OPC, PIPEDA Findings #2026-001 (Loblaw, PC Optimum): the standard for anonymized information (PIPEDA Findings #2026-001, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (5 March 2026))
“The term "made anonymous" is not defined in PIPEDA. ... We therefore find that for information to be considered anonymized for the purpose of Principle 4.5.3, the organization must take steps to ensure that there is no serious possibility that the information retained may be reidentified, either alone or in combination with other available information. ... Based on the data points that Loblaw described, we find that stripping accounts of names, phone numbers and email addresses alone is insufficient for Loblaw to demonstrate that the data it retains is anonymized.”
Quebec private sector Act, section 23: when information is anonymized (Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, CQLR c. P-39.1, s. 23, as amended by S.Q. 2021, c. 25 (in force 22 September 2023))
“Where the purposes for which personal information was collected or used are achieved, the person carrying on an enterprise must destroy the information, or anonymize it to use it for serious and legitimate purposes, subject to any preservation period provided for by an Act. For the purposes of this Act, information concerning a natural person is anonymized if it is, at all times, reasonably foreseeable in the circumstances that it irreversibly no longer allows the person to be identified directly or indirectly.”
Quebec Regulation respecting the anonymization of personal information, sections 4 and 7 (Regulation respecting the anonymization of personal information, O.C. 783-2024, ss. 4, 7 (Gazette officielle du Québec, 15 May 2024; in force 30 May 2024))
“The process of anonymization must be carried out under the supervision of a person qualified in the field. ... The results of the analysis must show that it is, at all times, reasonably foreseeable in the circumstances that the information produced further to a process of anonymization irreversibly no longer allows the person to be identified directly or indirectly. For the purposes of the second paragraph, it is not necessary to demonstrate that zero risk exists. However, taking into account the following elements, the results of the analysis must show that the residual risks of re-identification are very low:”

Rules on AI training and data mining

No text and data mining exception in copyright law. The privacy regulator's principles for generative AI ask for a documented legal authority and consent as specific as possible for data used in training. A pending bill would add a legitimate interest ground, but it is not law.

The 3 sources it rests on, in their own words

OPC, Principles for responsible, trustworthy and privacy-protective generative AI technologies (7 December 2023): legal authority and consent (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Principles for responsible, trustworthy and privacy-protective generative AI technologies, principle 1)
“Know and document their legal authority for collection, use, disclosure and deletion of personal information that occurs as part of the training, development, deployment, operation, or decommissioning of a generative AI system. ... Consent should be as specific as possible, and deceptive design patterns should be avoided.”
ISED, Consultation on copyright in the age of generative AI, What we heard report (2025): no text and data mining exception (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, What We Heard Report (2025))
“In light of this feedback, the government will consider options to bring more clarity into the marketplace, and examine how a balanced copyright approach to TDM activities could support the rights of creators while fostering Canadian innovation in an evolving global context.”
Bill C-36 (45th Parliament, 1st session), Protecting Privacy and Consumer Data Act: a pending bill, not law (Parliament of Canada, LEGISinfo, Bill C-36 (45-1))
“Current status At second reading in the House of Commons Latest activity Introduction and first reading on Monday, June 15, 2026 (House of Commons)”

Tax on the licence fee

What the US withholds

A licence fee for records used in the US is a US-source royalty. Under the US treaty with Canada, the US withholds nothing on copyright and know-how royalties (10 percent on some other kinds) paid to a resident who claims the treaty on Form W-8BEN-E before payment; without the form the buyer must withhold 30 percent. The buyer still files a Form 1042-S.

The 4 sources it rests on, in their own words

IRS Tax Treaty Table 1, royalty row for Canada (IRS, Table 1 (Rev. May 2023), Canada row, royalty columns (income codes 10 to 12))
“CA 0 XVIII(5) / 10 0 0 10 0 12(2), (3) / 5P7(1)”
US-Canada income tax convention, Article XII as amended: 10 percent, and 0 for copyright, software and know-how (Convention between the United States and Canada (1980) as amended, Art. XII(1)-(3) with the Protocol of 17 March 1995, Art. 7)
“Royalties arising in a Contracting State and paid to a resident of the other Contracting State may be taxed in that other State. 2. However, such royalties may also be taxed in the Contracting State in which they arise, and according to the laws of that State; but if a resident of the other Contracting State is the beneficial owner of such royalties, the tax so charged shall not exceed 10 per cent of the gross amount of the royalties. ... (b) Payments for the use of, or the right to use, computer software; (c) Payments for the use of, or the right to use, any patent or any information concerning industrial, commercial or scientific experience (but not including any such information provided in connection with a rental or franchise agreement); ... arising in a Contracting State and beneficially owned by a resident of the other Contracting State shall be taxable only in that other State.”
IRC section 1442(a): the same withholding duty applies to payments to foreign corporations (26 U.S.C. 1442(a))
“In the case of foreign corporations subject to taxation under this subtitle, there shall be deducted and withheld at the source in the same manner and on the same items of income as is provided in section 1441 a tax equal to 30 percent thereof.”
IRS Instructions for Form W-8BEN-E: the tax number and the treaty claim in Part III, lines 14a and 14b (IRS, Instructions for Form W-8BEN-E (Rev. 10-2021), Line 9b and Part III, Lines 14a-14b)
“You must also provide a U.S. TIN if you are: ... Claiming benefits under an income tax treaty and have not provided a FTIN on line 9b. ... If you are claiming a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding under an income tax treaty you must enter the country where you are a resident for income tax treaty purposes and check the box to certify that you are a resident of that country. Line 14b. If you are claiming a reduced rate of, or exemption from, withholding under an income tax treaty you must check the box to certify that you: Derive the item of income for which the treaty benefit is claimed, and Meet the limitation on benefits provision contained in the treaty, if any.”

Tax in Canada on licensing to a US buyer

A licence of intellectual property to a non-resident that is not registered for GST/HST is zero-rated, so the holder charges no GST/HST to a US buyer.

The 2 sources it rests on, in their own words

Canada Excise Tax Act, Schedule VI, Part V, section 10: a licence of intellectual property to a non-resident is zero-rated (Excise Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-15, Schedule VI, Part V, s. 10)
“A supply of an invention, patent, trade secret, trademark, trade-name, copyright, industrial design or other intellectual property or any right, licence or privilege to use any such property, where the recipient is a non-resident person who is not registered under Subdivision D of Division V of Part IX of the Act at the time the supply is made.”
Canada Excise Tax Act, Schedule VI, Part V, section 7: services to a non-resident are zero-rated, except advisory, consulting or professional services (Excise Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-15, Schedule VI, Part V, s. 7)
“A supply of a service made to a non-resident person, but not including a supply of ... (b) an advisory, consulting or professional service;”

Which buyers take holders from Canada

Each buyer's own rules, read on its own pages. “Says nothing about where” is not a yes: ask the buyer in writing before you count on it.

Buyers of company records

Mode (BizBuyData)
Takes holders from a listed set of places. Its referral pages take companies and nonprofits based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or Australia only, and its company-data page calls US-based teams the strongest fit.
Its 7 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Companies and nonprofits must be based in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, or Australia.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Companies in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia only.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Companies with several years of operating records they own and teams primarily based in the U.S. are the strongest fit.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Where your team is based USA Canada UK Australia EU Other”
- Where a holder can be based
  “US direct referrals: greater of $50,000 or 6% for your first five Qualified Deals, with higher lifetime tiers. Outside the US: 6%, no minimum.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Mode buys the agreed copy directly and charges no broker fee. Your written agreement sets the amount and payment schedule before export.”
- Tax forms
  “The percentage is based on license fees actually paid to the company, excluding taxes and reimbursements.”
Ooak Data
Works with holders abroad. It runs a French entity for EU partners with EU-only processing and says it checks jurisdiction during scoping, but it publishes no country list, currency or tax rule.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “We check jurisdiction and requirements during scoping.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Data belonging to partners located in the European Union is processed and stored exclusively within the European Union. Our European operations are conducted through Ooak Data SAS , registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Register under number 932 867 963 (RCS Paris), with its registered office at 60, rue François Ier, 75008 Paris, France.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Deals to date range from $20K, the smallest closed, to several hundred thousand dollars.”
SuperAnnotate
Takes holders from anywhere. Its data partnerships FAQ says any size, any industry, anywhere, though it publishes nothing on language, tax forms, sanctions or payout currency.
Its 2 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Any size, any industry, anywhere. You need records built up over time and the rights to license them.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “We prepare the data and license it to buyers you approve. Payment on delivery, and on each relicense.”
The General Data Company (General Data Labs, Inc.)
Works with holders abroad. It is a San Francisco company that courts holders in Germany (conference, German, French and Spanish pages, a euro calculator) and sets no US-only rule, though it says nothing on payout method, tax forms or sanctions.
Its 4 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Connect with leaders from DAX companies, leading industrial businesses and Germany’s Mittelstand.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Based in San Francisco, USA. The operating company is General Data Labs, Inc.”
- Language of the records
  “Both pages are available in English and, under the /de/, /fr/ and /es/ prefixes, in German, French and Spanish.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “350.000 € bis 2,15 Mio. €”
Troveo
Works with holders abroad. It lists licensors in Vietnam, the Netherlands, India, South Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and tells international licensors to use Form W-8BEN, but only for its content-licensing side; its company-data page states no country rule.
Its 7 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Featured Data Owners ... POPS Worldwide Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ... ODMedia Utrecht, Netherlands ... Asian News International New Delhi, India ... Arena Holdings Johannesburg, South Africa”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Arcadia Entertainment Halifax, Canada ... Nine Network Sydney, Australia ... NHNZ Worldwide Auckland, New Zealand”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payouts are processed through our third-party vendor, Tipalti. To receive payments from Troveo, you'll need to complete your payment setup directly in your Troveo portal.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “There is no fixed payout schedule. Payments occur only after your content has been licensed, the client has been invoiced, and payment has been received.”
- Tax forms
  “For international licensors: What Is Form W‑8BEN? How to Use It for Tax Compliance Who should use W‑8BEN (non‑US individuals) and how it differs from W‑8BEN‑E and W‑9.”
- Tax forms
  “I'm not a U.S. citizen or resident. Do I need a W-9? No. Non-U.S. persons may need to complete a Form W-8BEN (or another W-8 series form). Check with Ramp for their requirements for international payees.”
- Tax forms
  “Avoid backup withholding: Submitting a valid W-9 prevents Ramp from withholding a portion of your payments for taxes, which can happen if a W-9 is missing or incorrect.”
Turing (Project Lazarus)
Takes holders from anywhere. Its FAQ says companies can be based in most regions (strongest demand in the US, UK, Canada and the EU) and that it flags jurisdictions with data-export restrictions early.
Its 6 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Most regions, with strongest demand in the US, UK, Canada, and the EU. Some jurisdictions carry data-export restrictions we'll flag early.”
- Language of the records
  “English-language comments & issues”
- Language of the records
  “PR title and body must be in English”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “One payment. No retainer, no recurring commitment.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “We make our final buying decision, agree on pricing, and issue payment. Repos typically pay $10k-$100k+ depending on quality and complexity.”
- Sanctions
  “To violate any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation, including export control laws and regulations administered by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) or the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC);”
Handshake AI Data Partnerships
Takes holders abroad, ranks the US first. No page text excludes any country and its FAQ names none, but the payout calculator's own settings price Canada and Europe at 0.75 and Other at 0.30 against 1.00 for the USA, and it asks for 20 or more employees and 3 or more years.
Its 5 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Country USA Canada Europe Other”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Company name Company website (optional) Country Continue”
- Where a holder can be based
  “defaultValue:`USA`,description:`Prices at 1.00.`},canadaLabel:{type:H.String,title:`Region 2`,defaultValue:`Canada`,description:`Prices at 0.75.`},europeLabel:{type:H.String,title:`Region 3`,defaultValue:`Europe`,description:`Prices at 0.75.`},otherLabel:{type:H.String,title:`Region 4`,defaultValue:`Other`,description:`Prices at 0.30.`}”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Shown before $100,000 instead of a range when the lower estimate falls below it - outside the US only.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payment terms are negotiated as part of your agreement and tied to defined delivery milestones. You’ll receive written details on the payment amounts, milestones, and schedule before any data is transferred.”
micro1
Takes holders abroad, ranks the US first. Global in principle, but it prioritises US companies, then the UK, Canada and other Western markets, and wants English-language data.
Its 6 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Yes. While the program accepts referrals globally, current demand is strongest for companies based in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Companies from other regions may still be considered, but selection will depend on the specific needs of active opportunities and customer demand at the time.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “We currently prioritize US companies, followed by other Western markets.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Where is your company headquartered? United States Canada Europe Other”
- Language of the records
  “At this time, we are primarily looking for companies that operate in English and maintain their documentation, workflows, and knowledge bases in English. Company representatives must also be able to communicate with the micro1 team in English throughout the partnership and onboarding process.”
- Tax forms
  “Each party bears its own taxes as required by applicable law, and amounts stated in an Order Form are exclusive of any applicable sales, use, or value-added tax, which Licensor will state separately on its invoice where required.”
- Sanctions
  “referrers and referred candidates must not reside in countries or regions where micro1 is unable to operate due to legal, regulatory, or security requirements.”
Appen
Says nothing about where. Its enterprise-data page sets no country, language or tax rule for company holders and it publishes no enterprise terms (Appen is an Australian-listed company with a US headquarters, but that says nothing about who it takes).
Its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Terms are agreed in writing before extraction begins, and payment is on acceptance rather than submission. Appen covers extraction, anonymisation and transfer, so there are no costs to you.”
Centific
Says nothing about where. Its enterprise-data page and contact form set no country, language, tax or sanctions rule for company holders; its privacy policy calls it a global company and its website terms use Delaware law.
Its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “We agree to the terms in writing before extraction begins. Payment is made when the data is accepted.”
Collinear AI
Says nothing about where. The data-acquisition page says nothing about where a holder must be based, the language of records, currency or tax forms.
Its 2 rules, in its own words
- Sanctions
  “You agree to comply with applicable laws in connection with its performance hereunder, including without limitation, applicable U.S. and foreign export controls, economic sanctions, and other trade controls.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “We confirm delivery is complete, then pay according to the contract.”
Corpus Bridge
Says nothing about where. No country rule is published and its assessment form offers every country, but the terms and privacy policy could not be read.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Select a country”
- Language of the records
  “Languages other than English , which are underrepresented in public training data.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “The buyer pays on the milestones in the agreement, for example half on signature and half on delivery.”
FileYield
Says nothing about where. No country rule for holders, only a sanctions-law eligibility clause, Arizona law and a privacy warning to EEA, UK and Swiss users that US data protection may be lower.
Its 5 rules, in its own words
- Sanctions
  “Not be barred from using the Service under U.S. or other applicable law (sanctions, embargoes, OFAC lists)”
- Language of the records
  “Multi-language call data is extremely valuable for conversational AI training.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “The transfer of data, the legal contract for the sale, and the payment occur directly between the seller and buyer”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “When payments become available, payments will be processed through Stripe.”
- Tax forms
  “Taxes are your responsibility. You are responsible for any sales, use, value-added, or other taxes that may apply to your purchases or sales on the Service.”
Grepped
Says nothing about where. Its holder pages set no country rule, and its referral terms pay referrers in any country except comprehensively sanctioned ones, but nothing says whether a holder outside the US is taken.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payments are made in US dollars by bank transfer or Wise to an account in your name.”
- Tax forms
  “You are responsible for your own taxes and will provide any tax form we reasonably require, such as a W-9 or W-8BEN, before the first payment.”
- Sanctions
  “Referrers in any country may be paid, except in countries subject to comprehensive US, UK or EU sanctions, or persons named on a sanctions list.”
Halluminate
Says nothing about where. The page asks only for contact details and publishes no country rule, payment method, tax form, terms or privacy policy.
HUMXN
Says nothing about where. The company-data page sets no country rule, and its legal pages are unfilled templates (no home country or governing law), so it is unknown whether a holder outside the US is taken.
Its 4 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “legally able to enter into contracts and to perform paid work where you are located”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Your data goes to approved AI buyers under strict confidentiality. Your company is never named, and you're paid per licence.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payment for accepted work is made through Stripe to your verified payout account, after the work has passed review, on the schedule set out in the brief [e.g. within 14 days of acceptance - confirm]. You must complete Stripe's identity and payout verification before you can be paid.”
- Tax forms
  “You are responsible for your own taxes, insurance, equipment and compliance with laws that apply to your business.”
Labelbox (Prism)
Says nothing about where. Prism says nothing about where a holder must be based (its industry notes cite only US laws such as HIPAA, GLBA and SOX), but it promises regional data residency and its scoping form asks no country.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “How It Works From first call to first wire in under 21 days.”
- Tax forms
  “You will be responsible for paying, withholding, filing, and reporting all taxes, duties, and other governmental assessments associated with your activity in connection with the Services”
- Sanctions
  “Violates any law or regulation, including, without limitation, any applicable export control laws”
Magma Intelligence Inc.
Says nothing about where. Magma publishes no rule on where a holder must be based (it is a Houston, Texas company and its form asks no country); everything else is left to a data agreement it does not publish.
Its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “A revenue share, paid as your data licenses. Terms are in the data agreement we sign during onboarding.”
Mercor Data
Says nothing about where. The data page names no country or language rule and says holders are paid by wire transfer; the only geographic rule found is a US sanctions representation in its general terms.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payment is issued via wire transfer upon delivery of the anonymized dataset to the buyer. This typically occurs within 2-4 weeks of the signed agreement, depending on data extraction and processing time.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “No. Mercor covers all costs associated with data extraction, anonymization, and transfer. You receive compensation with no upfront costs, setup fees, or deductions from the payment.”
- Sanctions
  “is (a) listed on the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons or on any other list of sanctioned, prohibited, or restricted parties administered by OFAC or by any other governmental entity, or (b) located in, a national or resident of, or a segment of the government of, any country or territory for which the United States maintains trade or economic sanctions or embargoes”
Polyshares
Says nothing about where. Its public pages set no country rule for companies (only 'any company with real operating history, in any sector'), and it publishes no terms or privacy policy.
Its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payment Net 30 to 60 , once the data is approved, shared, and anonymized.”
Scale AI Data Partnerships
Says nothing about where. The page names no country, language, payment or tax rule; it asks only for established operators, preferably with 40 or more employees.
SimpleClosure (AssetHub)
Says nothing about where. AssetHub's own pages set no country rule for holders (terms and privacy policy cite GDPR), but its referral programme is limited to US residents and US-organised companies.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Each Referrer must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States of America.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “(c) send Referral Codes to any company that is not a company organized in the United States;”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Official dissolution paperwork filed in the company's state of incorporation.”
Sunset
Says nothing about where. Sunsethq.com could not be read (Cloudflare challenge blocks all non-browser fetches), so nothing is known about where it takes holders.
Nyne
US holders only. Its current programme requires 20 or more full-time US W-2 employees; it does not say whether a non-US company with that US payroll would be taken.
Its 6 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Our current program focuses on operating companies with at least 20 full-time U.S. W-2 employees and three years in business.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “20+ full-time U.S. W-2 employees”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Nyne’s current company program is for operating businesses with at least 20 full-time U.S. W-2 employees, at least three years in business, and a decision-maker authorized to approve the license.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Country USA Canada Europe Other”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Once your dataset is delivered and accepted, you receive payment as outlined in your partnership agreement.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Initial payment Amount and currency for the defined package, after mandatory fees”

Other buyers, marketplaces and labs' programmes

Datarade
Takes holders from anywhere. Its provider application accepts any registered business and its country list is a full world list; it excludes only sales of data to sanctioned countries and individuals or unregistered businesses.
Its 7 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Datarade connects data providers with qualified data buyers. Publish your products once and reach a global audience through the Datarade Marketplace.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Country Select country Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria ... Cuba ... Iran (Islamic Republic of) ... Korea (Democratic People's Republic of) ... Russian Federation ... Syrian Arab Republic”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Commission-only Most popular For exploring the platform $0 / year + 30% commission”
- Sanctions
  “Sanctioned countries: Selling Data to countries under international sanctions.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Trusted global buyers like Deloitte, Amazon, and top AI startups, Datarade is a leading B2B data marketplace offering 600+ different categories from over 500 verified, compliance-assured data providers.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Datarade does not host providers' data directly. The delivery and fulfilment are securely managed by the data supplier, ensuring that providers maintain control over their data.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Submit profile basics (company bio, geographic coverage, data offering, use cases supported)”
Google (content offer pilot)
Takes holders from anywhere. The page says it works with thousands of partners worldwide and sets no country rule, but the form behind the sign-in could not be read.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “We’ve been testing this pilot for over a year with thousands of partners worldwide.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Partners will be paid for the delivery of their offline content, which will be used to improve our products and services, including by enhancing our quality evaluations, developing product features, and expanding opportunities for display across our products.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Upon invitation, we work with partners in an offer process where we mutually agree on a fee.”
Google (News AI pilot)
Takes holders from anywhere. It says 400+ publications worldwide take part, but it is a programme for news publishers, not for company records.
Its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “more than 400 publications worldwide are now participating in this program.”
Kled
Works with holders abroad. No country is required and non-US residents are expressly handled (W-8BEN), but the terms call the service US-operated and require a warranty of not being in a US-embargoed country; it pays individuals by Venmo, PayPal or Solana crypto with ID and tax checks.
Its 11 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “The Services are operated by us in the United States. Those who choose to access the Services from locations outside the United States do so at their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Our app has consistently remained top 100 in 20+ countries and top 10-20 in countries like Indonesia.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Define your needed dataset by modality, regions, activity, labels, and the date you need it by.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “The Services may allow you to earn certain third-party blockchain tokens such as SOL (“ Tokens ”), fiat currency or other rewards (as determined by us in our sole discretion) for your accepted Submitted Content”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “We collect your wallet address, which is used for cryptocurrency payouts.”
- Sanctions
  “By using the Services, you represent and warrant that you are not located in any such country or on any such list. You are responsible for and hereby agree to comply at your sole expense with all applicable United States export laws and regulations.”
- Tax forms
  “A tax form is required when your yearly Kled earnings reach $600 or more . You must submit the form before you can cash out once this threshold is hit. Which Form Do I Need? US resident or citizen W-9 Non-US residentW-8BEN”
- Tax forms
  “If your yearly earnings meet the IRS reporting threshold, Nitrility Inc. may issue a 1099-NEC or equivalent tax document.”
- Tax forms
  “Tax form (if applicable) W-9 or W-8BEN required when yearly earnings reach $600+”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Available Methods Kled supports three payout methods. You can set up one or multiple.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Minimum Amount You must have at least $25.00 in your available balance before you can request a cashout.”
Meta (Language Technology Partner Program)
Works with holders abroad. No country rule or payment is published, the one named partner is in Canada, it wants underserved-language data, and its interest form is now closed.
Its 4 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “We are pleased that the Government of Nunavut, Canada, has agreed to work with us on this exciting initiative, collaborating to share data in the Inuit languages Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun.”
- Language of the records
  “Our efforts are especially focused on underserved languages, in support of UNESCO’s work as part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “As a partner, you will also gain access to technical workshops led by our research teams, where you’ll learn how to leverage our open source models to build language technologies.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Partners will work with our teams to help integrate these languages into AI-driven speech recognition and machine translation models, which when released will be open sourced and made freely available to the community.”
OpenAI (Data Partnerships)
Takes holders from anywhere. Its form takes an organization of any listed country (a full world list, no exclusion shown) and the page wants data in any language, but it publishes nothing on payment or tax.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “We’re already working with many partners who are eager to represent data from their country or industry. For example, we recently partnered with the Icelandic Government”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Organization country * Select a country… Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola”
- Language of the records
  “We’re particularly looking for data that expresses human intention (e.g., long-form writing or conversations rather than disconnected snippets), across any language, topic, and format.”
Opendatabay (Opendatabay Ltd, England and Wales)
Takes holders from anywhere. Opendatabay (a UK company) says it serves users globally and takes data from any registered business that passes KYC/KYB, but it requires the holder to cover cross-border transfer in its legal basis and says nothing on tax forms or sanctions.
Its 4 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Opendatabay serves users globally but operates under UK law.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payouts are made only to verified business accounts.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “All payments are processed securely through Stripe and PayPal. We receive transaction IDs and user billing information for verification and record-keeping purposes. For sellers, we may store payout details such as bank account information required for withdrawals.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “From 1 October 2026, all marketplace prices are denominated in USD. Existing listings have been converted from GBP to USD using a fixed migration rate of $1 = £0.76”
Protege
Takes holders from anywhere. Its pages say partner datasets represent 160 countries and name non-US partners (Cambodia, an EMEA broadcaster, South Africa), and state no eligibility by country, but publish no country rule, currency or tax form.
Its 7 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “By combining content across 150+ global providers, we construct datasets that power multiple AI buyers and evolving model use cases.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Number of countries represented across partner datasets 160”
- Where a holder can be based
  “A major EMEA-based broadcaster earned over $1M in 6 months by licensing its scripted and cinematic library with Protege”
- Where a holder can be based
  “The world’s largest library of Khmer-language television from Cambodian Broadcasting Service (CBS) will power more inclusive AI models and expand Protege’s uniquely diverse, six-continent audio-visual…”
- Where a holder can be based
  “We’re excited to partner with Protege to bring South Africa’s healthcare data to a global audience.”
- Language of the records
  “Speaker Track Languages Covered 70+ Languages”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Your content is included in qualified deals, and you receive transparent, timely revenue share payments.”
Created by Humans
Says nothing about where. It is a US-run platform that licenses books and other creative works (not company records), tells users outside the US to follow local law, and is governed by New York law with foreign law excluded.
Datacurve (Shipd)
Says nothing about where. No country is required, but contributors warrant they are not in a US-embargoed country, may face IP and VPN monitoring, and may be asked for identity and tax documents before payment; it hires contributors rather than licensing a holder's records.
Its 5 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Engineers from 40+ countries, architecting and solving the challenges that frontier models can't.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Payments for completed work are processed through Shipd's designated payment processor(s) in accordance with the rates and terms posted on the Platform or communicated to you.”
- Tax forms
  “You are solely responsible for all tax obligations, withholdings, and reporting requirements arising from amounts paid to you under these Terms. Shipd may require you to provide tax documentation or certifications as a condition of payment, and you represent that any such documentation you provide is accurate and complete.”
- Sanctions
  “you are not located in, a national of, or ordinarily resident in any country or territory subject to a comprehensive U.S. government embargo or economic sanctions program;”
- Sanctions
  “Shipd reserves the right to implement technical measures to monitor platform access for compliance with applicable sanctions laws, including IP-based monitoring and VPN detection.”
DataVendor
Says nothing about where. UNREAD, the site sits behind a Vercel browser checkpoint (HTTP 429) and none of its pages could be fetched.
Defined.ai
Says nothing about where. The Data Partner page asks only for a business that generates or aggregates data and names no country condition; the Seattle company's licence and terms are governed by Washington law.
Its 2 rules, in its own words
- Sanctions
  “Suppliers will not deliver datasets where its provenance is tied to countries sanctioned pursuant to EU's global human rights sanctions regime. Defined.ai Suppliers understand and comply with all applicable international trade controls (i.e., export controls, economic sanctions, and anti-boycott laws).”
- Sanctions
  “The Data may be subject to US export control laws, including the Export Control Reform Act and its associated regulations. Licensee shall not, directly or indirectly, export, re-export, or release the Data to, or make the Data accessible from, any jurisdiction or country to which export, re-export, or release is prohibited by law, rule, or regulation.”
Microsoft (Publisher Content Marketplace)
Says nothing about where. It names no country rule, its co-designers are US publishers, and it says PCM is for grounding and display, not training.
Its 3 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “PCM will support publishers of all sizes, from large national and international organizations to specialized and independent voices.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Over the past several months, we have been co-designing PCM with leading U.S. publishers, including The Associated Press, Business Insider Inc, Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, People Inc, USA TODAY Co., and Vox Media LLC, among others.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “publishers will be paid on delivered value”
pre.dev (Pre Dev Corp)
Says nothing about where. Pre.dev publishes no rule on where a holder must be based, and its code-licensing sign-up takes individuals as well as companies, but no seller terms are on its public pages.
Prime Intellect
Says nothing about where. No company-records programme was found (its programme pays bounties to builders 'around the world' for open-source environments), but its site terms bar use from China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and Crimea.
Its 4 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “Today, we’re committing hundreds of thousands of $ as grants to sponsor builders around the world to help us grow the Environments Hub into the premier platform for open evals and RL environments.”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Those persons who choose to access the Site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are solely responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.”
- Sanctions
  “Prime Intellect prohibits the use of its services from or to the following countries: China Iran North Korea Syria Cuba Crimea region of Ukraine.”
- Sanctions
  “You represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any country subject to a U.S. government embargo or designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.”
Sieve
Says nothing about where. Eligibility is described by what a business owns or does and by size (50 or more employees for the recording path), with no country named.
Its own words
- Language of the records
  “Speech, sound, and performance Podcasts Audiobooks Multilingual recordings”
Versos AI, Inc.
Says nothing about where. Versos publishes no rule on where a holder must be based (its enquiry and value forms ask no country); it works with video libraries held in the holder's own cloud storage.
Its own words
- Language of the records
  “Filter and build datasets based on granular AI training specifications, including content type, format, duration, resolution, language, production status, and aspect ratio.”
Wirestock
Says nothing about where. Its FAQ says anyone who creates the content and holds the licensing rights can join, with no country named, and it pays by PayPal or Payoneer; it deals in creator content (photos, illustrations, video), not company records.
Its 2 rules, in its own words
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Currently, Wirestock only supports payments through Paypal and Payoneer. Wirestock may, however, later include additional payment processors. There is a minimum payout rate per accounting period of either (i) thirty U.S. Dollars (USD $30.00) for PayPal and fifty U.S. Dollars (USD $50.00) for Payoneer;”
- Tax forms
  “You are solely responsible for any payments required to be filed with or made to any tax authority with respect to your receipt of compensation under the Terms.”
AWS Data Exchange
Takes holders from a listed set of places. The US, EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Israel, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, with a W-8 and US bank details for non-US providers.
Its 8 rules, in its own words
- Where a holder can be based
  “To provide data products on AWS Data Exchange, you must be a permanent resident or citizen in one of the following countries or SARs, or a business entity organized or incorporated therein: Australia¹ Bahrain¹² European Union (EU) member state¹ Hong Kong SAR Israel¹² Japan²³ New Zealand¹ Norway¹² Qatar Switzerland¹² United Arab Emirates (UAE)¹² United Kingdom (UK)¹ United States (US)”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Eligible countries and regions Australia Bahrain Colombia European Union (EU) member states Hong Kong SAR India Israel Japan New Zealand Norway Qatar South Korea Switzerland United Arab Emirates (UAE) United Kingdom (UK) United States (US)”
- Where a holder can be based
  “Data providers must use a valid legal entity domiciled in the United States or a member state of the EU, supply valid banking and taxation identification, and be qualified by the AWS Data Exchange business operations team.”
- Tax forms
  “For US-based entities, a W-9 form and a banking account from a US-based bank are required. Non-US sellers are required to provide a W-8 form, value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) registration number, and US bank information.”
- Tax forms
  “¹ Providers of paid products in these countries must provide VAT registration information in country of establishment.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “AWS disburses payments monthly directly to the bank account associated with the AWS account registered as a seller, minus AWS Marketplace service fees.”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “Provide bank account information in an eligible jurisdiction that can accept USD disbursements”
- How a holder abroad is paid
  “If you don't have a US bank account, you can register for a virtual US bank account from Hyperwallet .”

Where we stand

We take sale mandates from holders based in Canada.

What your records are worth, and what to settle before a buyer in the US sees them.

Value your data Every country

In this topic

Selling data to AI companies from Canada

What PIPEDA asks before a licence

Using records for a new purpose

Sending personal data to a buyer in the US

Anonymised and de-identified data

Rules on AI training and data mining

Tax on the licence fee

What the US withholds

Tax in Canada on licensing to a US buyer

Which buyers take holders from Canada

Buyers of company records

Other buyers, marketplaces and labs' programmes

Where we stand

What your records are worth, and what to settle before a buyer in the US sees them.

Selling data

Other countries