The European Union (EU) is one of the largest economies in the world. It is also Canada’s second-largest trading partner. CETA is a free trade agreement between Canada and the EU.

So, CETA lets some independent professionals, service providers, business visitors intra-company transferees, and investors be able to work in Canada. Also, they don’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

For LMIA, potential Canadian employers must follow various recruitment procedures before hiring a foreign worker. However, with CETA there is no hassle for the employers or the workers.

CETA Categories

There are 4 categories under which an EU citizen can be eligible to work in Canada-

Business Visitors
Intra-Company Transferees
Investors
Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals

Business Visitors- Under CETA, you can enter Canada on a regular basis in order to complete a specific project. You can stay for a maximum of 90 days in any six-month period. Also, you can seek multiple entries to Canada. There are two categories of business visitors: short-term business visitors and business visitors for investment purposes.

Intra-company transferees- If you are located in the EU nations, you can work n Canada under an intra-company transferee. Also, you do not need an LMIA to get a Canadian work permit. However, there are some criteria that you need to fulfill. So, you must be-

Employed by, or partners in, an enterprise in an EU nation for at least one year.
Temporarily transferred to a Canadian enterprise with one of the following relationships to the EU enterprise: subsidiary, parent, branch, or head company.

Additionally, intra-company transferees are divided into three categories, each encompassing its own specific requirements. These categories are-

Senior personnel and specialists
Graduate trainees
Specialists.

Investors- You can come to Canada as an investor under the CETA. However, you need to be eligible to apply for it. You must be-

Involved in establishing, developing, administering, or operating an investment on a supervisory or executive level
the investor
employed by an enterprise that has committed previously, or is currently committing, a substantial amount of capital in Canada.

If your application is approved, you will get a LMIA-exempt work permit. This is valid for a maximum of one year. However, you can extend it if the visa officer allows you.

Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals- People who fall under this category can also apply for a Canadian work permit without an LMIA. However, you need to meet some criteria to be eligible. You have to be-

Citizens of a European Union member state
Engaged in temporary supply of a service for a maximum of one year
Your services must be covered by a National Occupation Classification Code (NOC). This NOC should be included on the table of Canada’s CETA Commitments for Contractual Service Suppliers and Independent Professionals.

Application Procedure

The application procedure is different for each category. If you are applying as a short-term business visitor, you can apply at a Canadian Port of Entry (POE). Also, if you are applying for a work permit, you need to submit an application before travelling.

You can submit this to the appropriate Visa Application Centre. However, if you already inside Canada you can submit the application from inside. But you should be an authorized temporary resident in Canada.

SOURCE: https://www.international.gc.ca