Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) provides an accelerated avenue towards so called ‘CCFTA Work Permit.’
The agreement allows citizens of Chile to work in Canada without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
More than 60 occupations and intra-company transferees may be hired by Canadian employers through this agreement.
Special Hiring Program
How Can CCFTA Help My Company?
CCFTA is modeled based on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and therefore most of the requirements and procedures are identical. Like in NAFTA, CCFTA facilitates temporary entry of four categories of persons into Canada.
Among these are:
- Business Visitors
- Professionals
- Intra-Company Transferees
- Traders and Investors
Canadian employers can benefit from hiring Chilean nationals mainly through the Professional and Intra-Company Transferee categories. All work permits issued under CCFTA are LMIA-exempt. This exemption represents a considerable time saving in the application process.
Professionals
Professionals from Chile can obtain a CCFTA Work Permit providing that their intended occupation in Canada is on the list of more than 60 approved professions.
A professional from Chile must seek a pre-arranged employment in Canada. This means having an employment offer for a salaried position with a Canadian business. Alternatively, the Canadian company must have a contract with the professional’s employer in Chile.
Qualifications for CCFTA Work Permit
The qualifications required for a Chilean national to obtain a CCFTA work permit have remained the same as in the NAFTA agreement. Therefore, an applicant must meet the educational and/or work experience credentials as stipulated in the appendix to the original agreement.
How to Get a CCFTA Work Permit
All Chilean applicants who want to work in Canada as professionals must meet the below requirements.
General Requirements
The foreign national must:
- be a citizen of the Chile;
- hold a profession that is identified in Appendix K-03.IV.1;
- meet the qualification to work in that profession (degree or certification in a related educational program);
- have a pre-arranged employment with a Canadian employer;
- intend to provide professional level services in the field of qualification as indicated in the Appendix; and
- comply with existing immigration requirements for temporary entry.
Documentation
An applicant for the CCFTA work permit must provide the following documentation:
- a proof of Chilean citizenship (e.g. Passport, Birth Certificate, etc.);
- an evidence of pre-arranged employment in the form of:
- a signed contract with a Canadian business, or
- a written employment offer from a Canadian employer, or
- a letter from the Chilean employer on whose behalf the service will be provided to the Canadian business;
- documents which contains the following information:
- the proposed employer in Canada;
- the profession for which entry is sought;
- details of the position (title, duties, duration of employment, arrangements as to payment; and
- the educational qualifications or alternative credentials required for the position; and
- evidence that the person has at least the Minimum Education Requirements and Alternative Credentials listed in Appendix K-03.IV.1 (copies of degrees, diplomas, professional licenses, accreditation or registration, etc).
Where to Apply for CCFTA Work Permit
Since the citizens of Chile do not require visa to enter Canada, applicants for CCFTA work permit for Professionals may apply on arrival to Canada at an airport, land crossing or harbour. Applicants who wish to obtain an approval prior to departing Chile, must apply online or by mail to the visa office in Chile.
CCFTA Work Permit Processing Time
CCFTA Work Permits are processed at a Canadian Port-of-Entry (POE) with all the supporting documentation momentarily. If the foreign national chooses to apply in advance through a visa office in Chile, the processing times are based on the standard processing times for work permits at the responsible office. Click here to verify the current processing times.
Validity of CCFTA Work Permits
The validity of a CCFTA work permit is up to 3 years with the option to renew for up to 3 years each time. There is no restriction on the number of renewals as long as the applicant meets the requirements as a professional.
CCFTA Job List – Appendix K-03.IV.1
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 and Actuary), Range Manager/Range Conservationist, Research assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution), Scientific Technician/ Technologist, Social Worker, Silviculturist (including Forestry Specialist), Technical Publications Writer, Urban Planner (including Geographer), Vocational Counsellor
Medical/Allied Professional
Dentist, Dietitian, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Nutritionist, Occupational Therapist, Pharmacist, Physician (teaching or research only), Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist, Psychologist, Recreational Therapist, Registered Nurse, Veterinarian
Agriculturist (including Agronomist), Animal Breeder, Animal Scientist, Apiculturist, Astronomer, Biochemist, Biologist (including Plant Pathologist), Chemist, Dairy Scientist, Entomologist, Epidemiologist, Geneticist, Geologist, Geochemist, Geophysicist, Horticulturist, Meteorologist, Pharmacologist, Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada), Plant Breeder, Poultry Scientist, Soil Scientist, Zoologist
Teachers
College, Seminary, University
Intra-Company Transferees
The NAFTA agreement rules apply identically to Chilean intra-company transferees.
Additionally, the applicant must be employed in executive or managerial position or one involving “specialized knowledge.” The applicant must be transferring to a company that is in a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate relationship to the Chilean counterpart. Finally, e or she must be performing duties in Canada in the same capacity as in Chile.
Therefore, in order to qualify under this category, the applicant must be an employee of a Chilean enterprise for at least one year (full-time) within the three-year period immediately preceding the initial date of a CCFTA work permit application.
Additionally, the applicant must be employed in executive or managerial position or one involving “specialized knowledge.” The applicant must be transferring to a company that is in a parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate relationship to the Chilean counterpart. Finally, he or she must be performing duties in Canada in the same capacity as in Chile.
How to Get a CCFTA Work Permit for Intra-Company Transferee
All Chilean applicants for intra-company transferees must meet the below requirements.
General Requirements
The foreign national must:
- be a citizen of Chile;
- be seeking employment in an executive or managerial position or one involving “specialized knowledge”;
- be transferring to a company that has a qualifying relationship with the enterprise in which he or she is currently employed;
- be employed by an enterprise in Chile, which have a parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate relationship with an enterprise in Canada;
- be engaged in a continuous employment, in a similar position outside Canada, for at least one year (full-time) in the previous three-year period from the date of initial application; and
- comply with existing immigration requirements for temporary entry.
Documentation
An applicant for the Intra-Company Transferee must provide the following documentation:
- a proof of Chilean citizenship (e.g. Passport, Birth Certificate, etc.);
- an evidence that the foreign national is currently employed by a business outside of Canada;
- a confirmation that the applicant has been employed continuously outside of Canada by the business for one year (full-time) within the three-year period immediately preceding the initial date of application;
- a written evidence of the applicant’s current position in an executive, or managerial capacity or one involving specialized knowledge, i.e., position, title, place in the organization, job description;
- in the case of “specialized knowledge”, evidence that the person has such knowledge and that the position in Canada requires such knowledge;
- an outline of the position in Canada, i.e., position, title, place in the organization, job description;
- an indication of intended duration of stay; and
- a description of the relationship between the enterprise in Canada and the enterprise in Chile.
Note that officers may request tangible proofs to establish the relationship between the Canadian and Chilean enterprises.
Where to Apply for a CCFTA Work Permit
Since the citizens of Chile do not require visa to enter Canada, applicants for CCFTA work permit for Intra-Company Transferees may apply on arrival to Canada at an airport, land crossing or harbour (also known as Port-of-Entry). Applicants who wish to obtain an approval prior to departing Chile, must apply online or by mail to the visa office in Chile.
CCFTA Work Permit Processing Time
CCFTA Work Permits are processed at a Canadian Port-of-Entry (POE) with all the supporting documentation momentarily. If the foreign national chooses to apply in advance through a visa office in Chile, the processing times are based on the standard processing times for work permits at the responsible office. Click here to verify the current processing times.
Validity of CCFTA Work Permits
Identically to NAFTA, intra-company transferees are a subject of a cap for the total time they may stay in Canada with a CCFTA work permit.
As a rule, intra-company transferees can be issued an initial work permit of up to three years. None the less, individuals permitted to enter Canada to open an office or to be employed in a new office are issued an initial permit for a maximum period of one year.
Extensions can be granted for a duration of up to two years if the person continues to comply with the requirements for intra-company transferees.
Participants in executive or managerial capacity may not exceed seven years in total.
Correspondingly, participants in positions requiring specialized knowledge may not exceed five years in total.