From: marcy@sqwest.wimsey.bc.ca (Marcy Thompson)
Subject: Re: Working Temporarily i
Organization: SoftQuad Inc., Surrey, British Columbia, CANADA
Distribution: can
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 18:12:06 GMT

In a recent can.jobs article, wjones@halcyon.com (Warren Jones)
writes:
>> 
>> The US/Canada free trade agreement has made it much easier for certain
>> classes of professionals to work across the border on a temporary basis.
>> One category of interest to many reader of this group is "computer systems
>> analyst" (or something to that effect, I forget the exact title.)
>> There are a number of other job classifications -- see your immigration
>> and employment office for details.
>> 
>> I spent a year working in Canada from July 89 to June 90.
>> I've heard of no changes since then, and I'm sure the situation
>> is symetrical for Canadian nationals working in the US.
>> 
>> Here is what I needed then to get a work permit:
>> 
>>    1. Proof of US citizenship (birth certificate, etc.)
>>    2. A written job offer from a Canadian employer.
>>    3. Professional credentials for the appropriate job
>>       category, in this case a university degree.
>>       (I don't think a two year degree will do, but
>>       I could be wrong.)
>>    4. $50 cash.
>> 
>> My permit was made out on the spot when I arrived at the border.
>> It took about 15 minutes.  Permits are good for a year at a time,
>> and can be renewed.
>> 
>> If anyone is aware of changes in these arrangements since 1990,
>> I'd be glad to hear about it.
>> -- 
>> Warren Jones
>> <wjones@halcyon.com>

Here's my usual posting about US citizens working in Canada.

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The US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (hereafter the FTA) has a
provision whereby citizens of the US and Canada in certain
professions may work in the other country without having to
get a normal work authorization. (In the US, it means you
get a TC-1 visa instead of an H-1; in Canada it means you
get an "FTA Professional Authorization" instead of a "Work
Authorization".)

Here's the list of covered professions:

accountant
engineer
scientist
   biologist
   biochemist
   physicist
   geneticist
   zoologist
   entomologist
   geophysicist
   epidemiologist
   pharmacologist
   animal scientist
   agriculturist (agronomist)
   dairy scientist
   poultry scientist
   soil scientist
research assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)
medical/allied professional
   physician (teaching and.or research only)
   dentist
   registered nurse
   veterinarian
   medical technologist
   clinical lab technologist
architect
lawyer
teacher
   college
   university
   seminary
economist
social worker
vocational counselor
mathematician (baccalaureate)
hotel manager (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
librarian (MLS)
animal breeder
plant breeder
horticulturist
sylviculturist (forestry specialist)
range manager (range conservationist)
forester
journalist (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
nutritionist
dietician
technical publications writer
computer systems analyst
psychologist
management consultant (baccalaureate + 3 yrs experience)
disaster relief insurance claims adjuster
scientific technician/technologist
   must:
       a) work in direct support of professionals in the following disciplines:
          chemistry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, physics, astronomy,
          agricultural sciences, biology or forestry;
       b) possess theoretical knowledge of the discipline;
       c) solve practical problems inthe discipline;
       d) apply principles of the discipline to basic or applied research.

(end of list)

To get the FTA work permit, you present yourself at the border with these
items:

   proof of citizenship

   proof of education (and of experience, if required)

   written offer of employment

   $75.00 in Canadian funds


The only tricky part of this is the letter. It must conatin the following
information:

   a term of employment not greater than one year (while these visas
       are renewable indefinitely, each one requires a new letter,
       and no FTA visa can be issued for a period of more than one 
       calendar year)
   
   salary (they need to know you can live on what you're being paid; be
       aware, by the way, that it will be subject to all Canadian taxes
       *and* that US citizens must file US income tax returns no matter
       where in the world they live, even if they have no US income. 
       moreover, all world income of a US citizen is subject to US income
       tax; luckily (?) you get to deduct foreign tax paid on foreign 
       income as a tax credit and since most countries have a higher tax
       rate than the US, it's mostly a matter of filing. on the other
       hand, at least in BC, a FTA work authorization makes you eligible
       for the socialized medical care.)

   job title (it *should* be one of the titles on the list. the immigration
       officer who issued my authorization told me that if you work for a
       company which uses fixed titles, such as "Software Engineer III"
       when you're trying to get a visa as a computer systems anallyst,
       the letter should say "as a Software Engineer III, Company X's
       internal job classification for persons who perform the duties of
       a computer systems analyst"

   description of duties (mine said "includes but not limited to:")


Interestingly enough, this is as easy as it sounds. It took 15 minutes and
$75.00 to do. The trick is to have all the documents you need.

These permits are renewable indefinitely. Just cross into the US with your
(new) letter and all your paperwork and do it again. Possession of a FTA
work authorization entitles you to provinicial medical insurance and allows
you to bring your school-age children into Canada with a student visa.

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-- 

Marcy Thompson		
  SoftQuad (West)			
    marcy@sqwest.wimsey.bc.ca (preferred) or marcy@sq.com
Newsgroups: can.jobs