Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an ambitious newcomer, the CETA Work Permit might be your golden key to unlocking this incredible opportunity.
But what exactly is it, and how can you tap into its potential? Buckle up, because we’re about to embark on a journey through the exciting world of CETA and its streamlined path to your Canadian work adventure.
What is CETA Work Permit Canada?
The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a multilateral trade agreement negotiated between Canada and the European Union (EU) which came into effect on the 21st day of September 2017.
CETA provides unique opportunities for citizens of the European Union to work in Canada. Foreign nationals covered by CETA provisions could also be eligible to work in Canada without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or even a work permit.
CETA establishes four situations wherein an EU citizen can be considered eligible for facilitated access to Canadian work authorization:
- CETA Business Visitors
- CETA Intra-Company Transferees
- CETA Investors
- CETA Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals
CETA Business Visitors
Business visitors under CETA are eligible for short-term entry to Canada without a work permit or a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Business visitors are authorized for a maximum of 90 days in any six-month period.
CETA business visitors may seek multiple entries to Canada for a series of normal visits concerning a selected project. Under CETA, there are two categories of business visitors:
- Business visitors for investment purposes: This category refers to employees in managerial or specialist positions who are liable for fixing an enterprise. Business visitors under this category are most likely to not engage in direct transactions with the overall public, nor may they receive remuneration from a Canadian source.
- Short-term business visitors: This category refers to business visitors who enter Canada to perform one of the permissible activities listed below. Short-term business visitors cannot engage in selling goods or services to the overall public or receive remuneration from a Canadian source.
Permissible activities for CETA short-term business visitors:
- Meetings and consultations
- Research and style
- Market research
- Training seminars
- Trade fairs and exhibitions
- Sales
- Purchasing
- After-sales or after-lease service
- Commercial transactions
- Tourism personnel
- Translation and interpretation
CETA Intra-company transferees
Under CETA, intra-company transferees of enterprises located in EU nations can also be considered eligible to get a Canadian working paper without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). In order to be eligible for the LMIA-exemption, intra-company transferees must meet the subsequent general criteria:
- Must have been employed by, or partners in, an enterprise located in an EU nation for a minimum of one year
- Must be temporarily transferred to a Canadian enterprise with one among the subsequent relationships to the EU enterprise: subsidiary, parent, branch, or head company.
In addition to the overall criteria, intra-company transferees are divided into three categories, each encompassing its own specific requirements:
- Senior Personnel: like the “executive capacity” position under the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Individuals under this category are eligible for a work permit of up to three years with a possible extension of a maximum of 18 months.
- Specialists: like the “specialized knowledge” positions under NAFTA. Individuals under this category are eligible for a work permit of up to 3 years with a possible extension of a maximum of 18 months.
- Graduate Trainees: Must possess a university degree and be temporarily transferred to an enterprise in Canada for career development or business training. Individuals under this category are eligible for a work permit of up to 1 year with no possibility for extension.
Applicants curious about applying for CETA working papers, exempt from the LMIA-requirement, may follow the appliance procedures for CETA permits.
CETA Investors
Under CETA, investors from EU member nations could also be eligible to get a Canadian working paper without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). So as to satisfy the CETA eligibility requirements for investors, an applicant must meet the subsequent criteria:
- Involved with the establishment, development, administration, or operation of an investment during a capacity which is supervisory or executive;
- Must be the investor;
- Must be hired by an enterprise that has committed previously, or is currently committing, a considerable amount of capital in Canada.
Investors are going to be assessed using the standards for investors described within the North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Investors approved through CETA could also be issued LMIA-exempt work permits for a maximum of 1 year, with possible extensions at the discretion of a visa officer. Applicants curious about applying for CETA working papers, exempt from the LMIA-requirement, may follow the appliance procedures for CETA permits.
