Is this work?

i work at a chain store and am trying to transfer between stores. i did this last year, and I was simply switched over to a new store’s schedule. i have coworkers who have transferred to stores in other countries. I say this because, as I’m trying to transfer now, my manager is saying they won’t put it through unless I go over to that location to introduce myself/talk to them. This is not policy. Is this, me taking time out of my day to do something for work, working? Even though I’m not really doing my “job”. I live in Ontario.