A NAFTA Professional you must be qualified to work in one of 60 specific professions. Depending on your profession, you may be required to provide educational credentials and/or proof of work experience in the field.
NAFTA Professional Work Permits can be issued for the following professions:
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)
- Technical Publications Writer
- Urban Planner (including Geographer)
- Vocational Counsellor
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
You must have pre-arranged employment in Canada in an occupation that matches their qualifications. If you wish to perform self-employed work in Canada are not eligible for this category.
You can apply for a work permit as a NAFTA Professional if you meet these requirements:
- If you have already received an offer of employment from a Canadian employer.
- You must be qualified to perform the duties of the position you have been offered.
- The position you are offered must be a skilled occupation and be one of the 63 approved Professions.
- You must not be seeking self-employment in Canada. If you have been self-employed and do not have an offer of employment from a Canadian employer.
Employers of NAFTA Professionals are not required to first seeking approval of their job offer from Human Resources and Development Canada (HRSDC). Professionals with all their documentation support their application can instead apply immediately for a temporary work permit. Professionals can apply before traveling to Canada at any Canadian Visa Office or directly at a Canadian Port of Entry.
You should be prepared to provide the following documentation in support of your work permit request:
- Proof of citizenship either U.S or Mexico
- Proof of pre-arranged employment, such as a contract or job offer, such as:
Name of Canadian employer
Description of Profession
Details of position
Qualifications are necessary
- Proof of qualification
Once a work permit has been issued it will be valid for at most one year. Extensions of one year each can be dealt with from within Canada. As a Professional, you can also seek entry to Canada as a >Business Visitor.