Certain American and Mexican professionals can obtain three year Temporary Work Permits (TN Visas) to live and work in Canada.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was created in 1993 to facilitate trade between Canada, the United States, and Mexico – including the trade of skilled labour. Given Canada’s workforce shortages and its consequent heavy reliance on immigration and foreign workers to maintain its workforce growth, there are many career opportunities north of the border for American and Mexican citizens.
The three countries have agreed on labour mobility standards for 63 professional occupations (listed below), for which professionals can work in another member country without having to re-qualify under the host country's certification standards.
To qualify, applicants must be American or Mexican citizens and have a job offer from a Canadian employer in one of the 63 recognized occupations under NAFTA. With the job offer, applicants must apply for a Canadian Temporary Work Permit (TN Visa). This is a fast and relatively simple way for Americans and Mexicans become engaged in the Canadian workforce.
NAFTA’s List of Professionals
General
- Accountant
- Architect
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Disaster relief Insurance 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/Technologist
- Social Worker
- Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)
Medical/Allied Professional
- Dentist
- Dietitian
- Medical Laboratory Technologist (Canada)
- Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States)
- Nutritionist
- Occupational Therapist
- Pharmacist
- Physician (teaching or research only)
- Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist
- Psychologist
- Recreational Therapist
- Registered Nurse
- Veterinarian
Scientists
- 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
- College
- Seminary
- University
Contact Us for more information about the NAFTA Temporary Work Permits
