CUSMA Professionals: Canadian Work Permits for US and Mexican Citizens

The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on July 1, 2020. In the US it is called USMCA and in Mexico T-MEC. Chapter 16 of the agreement makes it easier for business people from the three countries to work temporarily in each other's countries.

It has four groups: business visitors, professionals, intra-company transferees, and traders and investors. This page covers professionals. For the others, see business visitors and intra-company transfers.

The professional category works much like the US TN visa, which Canadians and Mexicans use to work in the United States. The list of professions is almost the same.

The agreement required the three countries to hold a joint review in 2026. Check Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for any changes before you apply.

To qualify as a CUSMA professional, you must:

• Be a citizen of the United States or Mexico. Permanent residents of those countries do not qualify
• Work in one of the professions listed in the agreement
• Have the qualifications listed for that profession, usually a bachelor's degree (or a Mexican licenciatura) and sometimes a license or specific experience
• Have prearranged employment: a job offer or a contract with a Canadian employer in that profession
• Do work at a professional level, not a different job that happens to be at the same company
• Meet the normal entry rules for Canada, including not being inadmissible

You can't use this category to be self-employed in Canada. The job must be with a Canadian enterprise, or a contract from a foreign company to provide services to a Canadian client.

The list has about 60 professions. Common ones include:

Some professions accept other credentials. For example, a management consultant can qualify with 5 years of experience in place of a degree. Physicians can only use this category for teaching or research, not for treating patients.

Check the full list and credential rules in IRCC's program guidance, because the exact wording matters. If your job title doesn't match one on the list, officers look at your actual duties.

The work permit and the right to practice a profession are two different things. The work permit comes from IRCC. The right to practice many professions, such as engineering, nursing, pharmacy, law, and architecture, comes from the regulatory body in each province.

If your job legally requires a provincial license, you must get it before you do that work. Start early, because licensing can take longer than the work permit. Some employers structure roles so that licensed work is supervised while you finish licensing; ask them how they will handle it.

Officers refuse CUSMA professional applications for a few common reasons. Most can be avoided with good preparation:

• Job title doesn't match the duties. Calling a role "engineer" is not enough. The letter must show the work is at the level of the listed profession.
• Missing or wrong credentials. For example, a degree in an unrelated field, or no proof of the license a profession requires.
• Duties outside the profession. Management, sales, or general labor duties can make an officer decide the job is not a CUSMA profession.
• Self-employment. Working for your own Canadian business does not qualify.
• Unclear temporary intent. The job must have an end date or a reasonable expected length.
• Inadmissibility. A criminal record, including an impaired driving conviction, can stop you at the border regardless of your job.

If you have been refused before, or you have any criminal history, talk to a lawyer or a licensed consultant (RCIC) before you try again.

Many Americans and Mexicans start on a CUSMA permit and later apply for permanent residence using their Canadian work experience.

Your employer first submits an offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal and pays the CAD $230 employer compliance fee (as of September 2026). You then apply for your work permit and pay the CAD $155 work permit fee.

• US citizens can usually apply at a Canadian port of entry when they arrive, or online before they travel. When flagpoling for work permits ended on December 23, 2024, US citizens and professionals under free trade agreements were among the limited exceptions, so check the current rules if you are already in Canada and planning to apply at the border.
• Mexican citizens need either a visitor visa or an eTA to travel. Many apply online before traveling.

Bring your job offer letter, proof of citizenship, degree and transcripts, any license, and a letter describing your duties, salary, and how long the job will last.

A CUSMA professional work permit is usually issued for up to 3 years, and you can renew it. There is no fixed limit on how many times you can renew, but your stay must remain temporary. If you plan to stay for good, look at Express Entry or a provincial program.

Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit. Spouses of work permit holders under certain free trade agreements are exempt from the newer limits based on the job's TEER level (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities). See spousal open work permits. Your children can usually attend school in Canada.