Canada NAFTA Work Visas
Canada NAFTA Work Visas, Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) some American and Mexican citizens may obtain a work Permit to work in Canada.
There are several categories under NAFTA Work Visas to immigrate to Canada:
- Professionals
- Intra-Company Transferees
- Traders
- Investors
- Business Visitors
Professionals
Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), some American and Mexican citizens who are qualified Professionals may be able to obtain Canadian Work Permits for NAFTA Professionals in order to enter Canada to exercise their professional activities in Canada for an employer located in Canada. The main advantage of this type of NAFTA Visa (Work Permit) category is that it does not require prior job-validation for a position to be filled by American and Mexican NAFTA Professionals in Canada.
Here is a list of NAFTA Professions:
General NAFTA Professionals
- Accountant
- Architect
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster (claims Adjuster employed by an insurance company located in the territory of a Party, or an independent claims adjuster)
- Economist
- Engineer
- Forester
- Graphic Designer
- Hotel Manager
- Industrial Designer
- Interior Designer
- Land Surveyor
- Landscape Architect
- Lawyer (including Notary in the Province of Quebec)
- Librarian
- Management Consultant
- Mathematician (including Statistician)
- Range Manager/Range Conservationalist
- Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)
- Scientific Technician/Technologist5
- Social Worker
- Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)
- Technical Publications Writer
- Urban Planner (including Geographer)
- Vocational Counsellor
Medical/Allied NAFTA Professional
- Dentist
- Dietitian
- Medical Laboratory Technologist (Canada)/Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States)6
- Nutritionist
- Occupational Therapist
- Pharmacist
- Physician (teaching or research only)
- Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist
- Psychologist
- Recreational Therapist
- Registered Nurse
- Veterinarian
Scientist NAFTA Professionals
- Agriculturist (including Agronomist)
- Animal Breeder
- Animal Scientist
- Apiculturist
- Astronomer
- Biochemist
- Biologist
- Chemist
- Dairy Scientist
- Entomologist
- Epidemiologist
- Geneticist
- Geologist
- Geochemist
- Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States)
- Horticulturist
- Meteorologist
- Pharmacologist
- Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada)
- Plant Breeder
- Poultry Scientist
- Soil Scientist
- Zoologist
Teachers NAFTA Professionals
- College
- Seminary
- University
Intra-Company Transferees
NAFTA Intra-Company Transferees to Canada under NAFTA are prescribed types of businesspersons who are citizens of USA or Mexico, and who are being transferred to a related business or organisation (parent branch, subsidiary or affiliated branch) located in Canada.
There are several types of Intra-company Transferees, such as:
- Managers
- Executives
- Specialized Knowledge Staff
Traders
American or Mexican citizens traders may be eligible to enter in Canada to conduct substantial trade in goods or services, provided that such trade is primarily between the NAFTA member countries, and provided that Traders have either US or Mexican business.
The traders category is also applicable to business persons who have the intention to establish, develop, administer or provide consulting services or technical services for management of investment that attracted foreign capital or is in the process of attracting it.
Employees of traders may also qualify under this category, provided that they have supervisory or executive duties, or have skills that are fundamental to the operation of the business in Canada.
Investors
Investors citizens of USA or Mexico may be able to enter in Canada to develop and direct a bona-fide business in which they have made significant investment of capital, and thus own at least 50 % of such business, or maintain a controlling interest in such business, and provided that Investors have either US or Mexican business.
This category is also applicable to business persons who have the intention to establish, develop, administer or provide consulting services or technical services for management of investment that attracted foreign capital or is in the process of attracting it.
Employees of Investors may also qualify under this category, provided that they have supervisory or executive duties, or have skills that are fundamental to the operation of the business in Canada.
Business Visitors
American or Canadian citizens may be able to temporarily enter Canada as Business Visitors to do the following work:
- Research and Design
- Growth, Manufacture and Production
- Marketing
- Sales
- Distribution
- General Service
- After-Sales Service