I currently work in the US for a US company (am an American citizen) and would like to work remotely in Canada to live with my Canadian spouse.
1) do I need a work visa or work permit for this?
2) if #1 is yes, how do I apply for a work visa? to my understanding, you need a job offer from a Canadian company for them to sponsor your work visa, or your permanent residency application has to pass stage 1.
Please help, this process can be so daunting and intimidating.
You can work without a work permit provided the American company has no Canadian clients and does not do business in Canada.
Note that you cannot live in Canada at this time (you can only visit). If you show up at the border looking like you're moving, there's always some chance you could be denied entry.
Your spouse should sponsor you for PR (if this hasn't happened already).