Canadian Immigration Xperts

Traders and Investors

A trader or investor is described as a business person who is seeking to carry on trade in goods or services between the territory of which the person is a citizen and the territory of the party into which he is applying for temporary entry. A trader or investor may also be an individual who wishes to develop or administer essential services to an investment’s operation to which the business person and/or their enterprise has or is in the process of committing capital to.

Status can be granted as either a trader or as an investor, not both. If you are not sure under which of the two categories you qualify, you may apply under both.

Traders and investors must apply for work permit prior to departure to Canada.

Qualifications

Trader

To qualify as a trader under NAFTA, the foreign worker must meet certain requirements.

Firstly, the enterprise in Canada must have American or Mexican ‘nationality’. In other words, at least 50% interest of the service established in Canada must be owned by an individual or by corporate persons who are either of American or Mexican citizenship.

Secondly, the dominant duties in Canada must be to carry on trade in goods or services mainly between Canada and the other two NAFTA nations.

Thirdly, the capacity in which the trader will be working must be executive or supervisory in nature, involving essential skills and special qualifications.

To qualify, your employer must be a citizen of either United States or Mexico and already have trader status in Canada.

Investor

To qualify as an investor under NAFTA, the foreign worker must meet certain requirements.

Firstly, in common with requirements for trader status, the enterprise in Canada must have American or Mexican ‘nationality’.

Secondly, the applicant must be seeking temporary entry to develop and direct endeavours of an enterprise in which he or she has or is in the process of investing capital in.

You can also be eligible for this status if you are an employee of a person who already has investor status in Canada or if you will be working in an executive or supervisory capacity or have skills that are essential to the firm’s project in Canada.

To qualify, your employer must be a citizen of either United States or Mexico and already have trader status in Canada. It is important to keep in mind that a citizen of the United States or Mexico who has permanent resident status in Canada cannot qualify to bring an employee under investor status to Canada.

Immigration and Length of Stay

Traders and investors do not need to go through the job validation process but do require an work permit. Extensions can be granted for up to two years at a time.

There is no maximum time limit on the duration of a trader or investor’s stay in Canada. He or she may continue extending their temporary entry as long as the qualifying requirements for either status are consistently met. If the requirements are not met, the temporary entry can be canceled.
 

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