temporary or permenant?

[Student33]

Hi
Whats the best verb tense to use in the following situation please?
A: Have you seen Tom recently?
B: Oh, he went to Canada.

A:What .............. there? (does he do/is he doing)

B: I don't know.

[Lucretia]

Hello Student33,

I choose What is he doing there? , because he is there now.

[Marius Hancu]

does he do
doesn't work here
it means at any point in time

[OddThomas]

Because Tom just recently went to Canada, you will want to choose the present progressive, "what is he doing?" This is because of the newness, and you want to find out what is happening right now.

If Tom lives in Canada and has lived in Canada for a long time, then he would have a job or some school work he has been doing habitually. Now you will want to ask in the present tense, "what does he do?"