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ARTICLE · 11 MARCH 2009

Minister Kenney Announces Changes To Canada’s Immigration System

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Canada has recently announced changes to the immigration system to enhance our ability to attract, for the shorter term, and retain, for the longer term, people whose skills are a fit with the needs of Canadian employers.

CanadaImmigration
Victoria Cowling
Victoria Cowling
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Canada has recently announced changes to the immigration system to enhance our ability to attract, for the shorter term, and retain, for the longer term, people whose skills are a fit with the needs of Canadian employers.

In December 2008, Canada announced that professionals seeking to work temporarily in Canada under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) can now receive work permits for up to three years. Previously, NAFTA workers were required to renew their work permit every twelve months. The change matches the United States' new rules on issuance of Trade NAFTA (TN) work visas to Canadian and Mexican professionals under NAFTA.

NAFTA work permits are an excellent option for North American professionals seeking to work in Canada – including accountants, engineers, actuaries, scientists, management consultants and many health care professionals, to name a few. The Minister of Immigration has stated that this change will help Canadian employers remain

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