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NAFTA

NAFTA - The North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA") contains a special provision that allows citizens of the United States and Mexico relatively quick and simple entry into Canada on a temporary basis. The programs are applicable to persons who qualify as:

- business visitors
- intra-company transferees
- professionals, and
- traders and investors.

Nationals of the United States and Mexico who wish to come to Canada, and who are engaged in designated occupations and activities, may proceed with application without the involvement of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. This means that obtaining a Labor Market Opinion, which can be problematic, is not a requirement under NAFTA.

General Requirements

To be eligible under this program an applicant must be:
- a Mexican or American citizen and
- a professional whose work is specifically listed and who has pre-arranged employment with a Canadian enterprise in an occupation matching the specified qualifications
- an intra-company transferee who can meet stipulations pertaining to previous employment in the United States or Mexico, who is transferred to Canada to work in a specified capacity or
- a trader or investor seeking to carry out substantial trade in goods or services, mainly between Canada and the applicant's country of citizenship, or conduct substantial investment activities in Canada, in a supervisory or an executive capacity, or in a capacity that involves essential skills, and who can meet all the requirements of NAFTA.

The actual requirements under these programs are complicated. Great care and diligence must be applied in launching an application under NAFTA.