CUSMA (USMCA) Work Permit in Canada

A CUSMA work permit lets US and Mexican citizens work in Canada in a listed profession without an LMIA. CUSMA is Canada’s name for the USMCA, the agreement that replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020. The employer submits an offer of employment and pays the compliance fee. US citizens often apply at the port of entry. An officer decides.

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Last verified: November 2026

$155
The work permit fee paid by the worker
$85
Biometrics per person if required ($170 family maximum)
$230
The compliance fee paid by the employer

There is no LMIA fee. The Fee Calculator shows the current IRCC amounts.

What is a CUSMA work permit, and who qualifies?

CUSMA is Canada’s name for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020. The Regulations still use the NAFTA name in IRPR s.199(h). The treaty covers professionals, intra-company transferees, traders and investors, and this guide covers the professional category.

In Canada, the permit is issued under the International Mobility Program (IMP) as an LMIA-exempt work permit tied to an international agreement. The permit is still employer-specific, so a Canadian employer must support the application. The employer does not have to prove that no Canadian or permanent resident was available for the role.

To qualify in the professional category, a worker needs:

Citizenship of the United States or Mexico. A permanent resident of either country who is a citizen of a third country does not qualify.
A pre-arranged job with a Canadian employer in one of the listed professions.
The specific degree, licence or experience that the profession requires.
An employer that has submitted an offer of employment through IRCC’s Employer Portal and paid the $230 employer compliance fee before the worker applies.

The rule

The CUSMA work permit is LMIA-exempt under the International Mobility Program (R204 international-agreements exemption).

IRPR s.204(a)Verify on justice.gc.ca

Which professions are on the CUSMA list?

Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of CUSMA (Chapter 16) lists the professions. Only these professions qualify, and each has a minimum education or credential requirement.

The CUSMA professions by minimum requirement
Minimum requirement	Professions
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree	Economist, Landscape Architect, Mathematician (including Statistician and Actuary), Range Manager or Range Conservationalist, Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary institution), Social Worker, Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist), Urban Planner (including Geographer), Vocational Counsellor, Nutritionist, Recreational Therapist, and College, Seminary or University Teacher
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree	Scientist: Agriculturist, Animal Breeder, Animal Scientist, Apiculturist, Astronomer, Biochemist, Biologist, Chemist, Dairy Scientist, Entomologist, Epidemiologist, Geneticist, Geologist, Geochemist, Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and USA), Horticulturist, Meteorologist, Pharmacologist, Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada), Plant Breeder, Poultry Scientist, Soil Scientist and Zoologist
Degree or a state or provincial licence	Architect, Engineer, Forester, Dietitian, Occupational Therapist, Pharmacist and Physiotherapist or Physical Therapist
Degree or a post-secondary diploma and 3 years experience	Computer Systems Analyst, Graphic Designer, Industrial Designer, Interior Designer, Technical Publications Writer and Medical Laboratory Technologist. A Hotel Manager needs a degree in hotel or restaurant management, or the diploma and 3 years experience.
State or provincial licence or Licenciatura degree	Psychologist and Registered Nurse
A named professional degree, or a state or provincial licence	Dentist (D.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontología or Doctor en Cirugía Dental), Physician for teaching or research only (M.D. or Doctor en Medicina) and Veterinarian (D.V.M., D.M.V. or Doctor en Veterinaria)
Named degrees and designations	A Lawyer (including Notary in Quebec) needs an LL.B., J.D., LL.L., B.C.L. or Licenciatura degree (five years), or membership in a state or provincial bar. An Accountant needs a degree or a CPA, CA, CGA or CMA designation. A Librarian needs an M.L.S. or B.L.S., for which another baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree was a prerequisite.
Set for each profession	A Land Surveyor needs a degree or a state, provincial or federal licence. A Management Consultant needs a degree or equivalent professional experience (5 years). A Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster needs a degree and training in disaster relief claims adjustment, or 3 years experience in claims adjustment and that training. A Scientific Technician or Technologist needs theoretical knowledge of a listed science or engineering discipline and the ability to solve practical problems in it, and works in direct support of a professional in that discipline.

The NOC Finder gives an occupation’s Canadian NOC code. An officer decides whether the role genuinely fits a listed profession.

How do US and Mexican citizens apply?

US citizens: A US citizen can apply at a Canadian land border crossing or airport on arrival. The worker presents the job offer letter, credentials and supporting documents to a border services officer, who looks for the offer-of-employment number and can issue the permit on the spot. A US citizen admitted to Canada as a visitor may apply from inside Canada only under the professional or intra-company transferee categories.
Mexican citizens: Most Mexican citizens need a visitor visa to enter Canada. The exception, under IRPR s.7.01, is flying with an eTA, open only to those who hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa or held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years. IRCC says a citizen of a visa-required country cannot apply for a work permit at a port of entry, and Mexico is on that list.
Mexican citizens already in Canada: A Mexican citizen admitted to Canada as a visitor may apply from inside Canada under any CUSMA category.

The documents at application:

A valid passport, as proof of US or Mexican citizenship
The job offer letter from the Canadian employer, with title, duties, duration of employment and pay arrangements
Proof of credentials, such as a degree, diploma, professional licence or transcripts
Other evidence an officer may accept, such as reference letters, a letter of support from the company or a job description
The employment contract and the offer of employment number from the employer
The $155 work permit fee and biometrics if required

How long does the permit last, and what comes after it?

Validity and renewal
Feature	Details
Validity	Up to 3 years for the first permit, for the length of the offer of employment or until the passport expires, whichever is earlier.
Renewal	Extensions of up to 3 years at a time, with no limit on their number, as long as the stay remains temporary. The employer submits a new offer of employment. Apply online from inside Canada before expiry, because an application made at a port of entry counts as a new work permit application.
Changing employers	The permit is employer-specific and role-specific. Changing employers requires a new permit.
Lost status	A worker who loses status generally has 90 days to apply to restore it, with a restoration fee on top of the work permit fee.
Family members	IRCC says spouses or common-law partners of permit holders under certain free trade agreements can get an open work permit. Otherwise the general rule applies. The worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or in one of the TEER 2 or 3 occupations IRCC lists, and the worker’s permit is valid for at least 16 months after IRCC receives the spouse’s application. Dependent children of workers are no longer eligible for an open work permit.

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What do people ask?

Is it CUSMA or USMCA, and what is the difference?

They are the same agreement under different names. Canada calls it CUSMA, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, while the United States calls it the USMCA. It replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, and its chapter on the temporary entry of business people is what Canada implements as an LMIA-exempt work permit. The rule behind the permit is IRPR s.204(a), the international-agreements exemption.

Who can get a CUSMA professional work permit?

Citizens of the United States or Mexico with a pre-arranged job from a Canadian employer in a listed profession, and the degree, licence or experience that profession requires. Permanent residence is not enough. A US green card holder who is a citizen of another country does not qualify. An officer decides whether the role fits the list.

Does my employer need to do anything for a CUSMA work permit?

Yes. There is no LMIA, but before you apply your employer must submit an offer of employment through IRCC's Employer Portal and pay the $230 employer compliance fee. They also give you a job offer letter describing the role, salary, duration and how it fits a listed profession. The fee is the employer's and cannot lawfully be passed on to you.

How much does a CUSMA work permit cost in total?

For the worker, the main IRCC fees are the $155 CAD work permit fee and, if biometrics are required, $85 CAD per person ($170 CAD family maximum). The employer separately pays the $230 CAD compliance fee. There is no LMIA fee, because CUSMA is LMIA-exempt. Fees change, so check before applying.

Is CUSMA the same as TN status in the US?

They are closely related. In the United States, the equivalent status for professionals is called TN. USCIS says TN lets qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens seek temporary entry into the United States to engage in business activities at a professional level. The three countries share one list of professions, Appendix 2 of the agreement, and each runs its own program.

Does a CUSMA work permit count for Express Entry?

Generally yes. Skilled work in a TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3 occupation while on a CUSMA permit can count toward the Canadian Experience Class, which usually needs at least one year of qualifying Canadian work experience. CUSMA itself does not grant permanent residence, and you still need to meet every Express Entry criterion and be invited.

Which professions qualify, and what if mine is not on the list?

CUSMA covers a fixed list of professions, each with its own minimum education or credential requirement, shown in the table above. If your occupation is not listed, you cannot use the professional category. Other routes may still fit, such as an intra-company transfer, another LMIA-exempt category or an employer-supported LMIA work permit.

What happens if I want to change employers or my permit is expiring?

A CUSMA permit is tied to one employer and one role, so a new employer normally means a new permit, with a new offer of employment and compliance fee, before you start. You can apply to extend from inside Canada before your permit expires, and there is generally no fixed cap on extensions. For an extension, the employer submits a new offer of employment. If you lose status, you usually have 90 days to apply for restoration.

Part of:Working in Canada Work permits

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.