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Customized Reports for Entering the U.S. and Mexico Under NAFTA

Entering the United States Under the NAFTA Professional Category

How do I qualify as a NAFTA Professional?

You may qualify as a NAFTA Professional if:

  • you are a Canadian citizen
  • your occupation is one of the 63 listed below
  • you meet the educational requirements of the occupation
  • you have pre-arranged employment or a contractual agreement with an entity located in the U.S. or Mexico
  • you meet the member country's existing temporary entry immigration requirements

Your profession must be one of the 63 listed below.

PROFESSIONS
(see Interpretive Note 1)
REQUIRED CREDENTIALS
General 
Accountant1 or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A. or C.M.A
Architect1 or 2
Computer Systems Analyst1 or 4 and 3
Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster1 and 3 or 4 and 3
Economist1
Engineer1 or 2
Forester1 or 2
Graphic Designer1 or 4 and 3
Hotel Manager1 or 4 and 3 (in hotel/restaurant management)
Industrial Designer1 or 4 and 3
Interior Designer1 or 4 and 3
Land Surveyor1 or 2
Landscape Architect1
Lawyer (Notary in Quebec)LL.B., J.D., LL.L., B.C.L. or 1 (5 years) or membership in provincial bar
LibrarianM.L.S. or B.L.S. (for which 1 is a prerequisite)
Management Consultant (see Interpretive Note 2)1 or five years experience as a management consultant, or five years experience in a field related to the consulting agreement
Mathematician/Statistician1
Range Manager/Range Conservationist1
Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)1
Scientific Technician/Technologist  (see Interpretive Note 3)Possession of a) theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology or physics; and b) ability to solve practical problems in any of those disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of those disciplines to basic or applied research
Social Worker1
Sylviculturist/Forestry Specialist1
Technical Publications Writer1 or 4 and 3
Urban Planner/Geographer1
Vocational Counsellor 
Medical/Allied Professionals 
DentistD.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontologia or Doctor en Cirugia Dental or 2
Dietician (or provincial licence)1 or 2
Medical Laboratory Technologist (see Interpretive Note 4)1 or 4 and 3
Nutritionist1
Occupational Therapist1 or 2
Pharmacist1 or 2
Physician (Teaching or Research only) (see Interpretive Note 5)M.D. or 2
Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist1 or 2
Psychologist1 or 2
Recreational Therapist1
Registered Nurse1 or 2
VeterinarianD.V.M., D.M.V. or 2
Scientists 
Agriculturist/Agronomist1
Animal Breeder1
Animal Scientist1
Apiculturist1
Astronomer1
Biochemist1
Biologist1
Chemist1
Dairy Scientist1
Entomologist1
Epidemiologist1
Geneticist1
Geochemist1
Geologist1
Geophysicist (Oceanographer)1
Horticulturist1
Meteorologist1
Pharmacologist1
Physicist1
Plant Breeder1
Poultry Scientist1
Soil Scientist1
Zoologist1
Teachers 
College1
Seminary1
University 

*Key to Number Symbols

1 = Baccalaureate Degree 2 = Provincial Licence 3 = Post-secondary Diploma or Certificate 4 = Three Years Relevant Experience

INTERPRETIVE NOTES

  1. A BUSINESSPERSON seeking temporary employment in one of the 63 professions may also perform training functions relating to the profession, including conducting seminars.

  2. A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT provides services designed to improve the managerial, operating and economic performance of public and private entities by analyzing and resolving strategic and operating problems. Consultants may assist and advise in implementing recommendations but do not perform operational work for clients.

    Typically, a management consultant is an independent contractor or an employee of a consulting firm under contract to a client from a member country.

    The professional services provided must be temporary, periodical or on a fixed consulting basis rather than as full-time employment.

  3. A businessperson in the SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN/ TECHNOLOGIST (ST/T) category must have theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences; astronomy;
    biology; chemistry; engineering; forestry; geology; geophysics; meteorology; or physics, and the ability to solve practical problems in any of these disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of these disciplines to basic or applied research. An ST/T does not generally have a Baccalaureate Degree.

    The following principles will be used to evaluate Scientific Technician/Technologist (ST/T) applicants:

    • Individuals for whom ST/Ts wish to provide direct support must qualify as Professionals in their own right in one of the aforementioned disciplines.

    • A general offer of employment by such Professionals is not sufficient, by itself, to qualify for admission as an ST/T. The offer must demonstrate that the work of the ST/T will be inter-related with that of the supervisory Professional. The work of the ST/T must be managed, coordinated and reviewed by the Professional Supervisor, and must also provide input to the Professional Supervisor’s work.

    • Generally, the ST/T’s theoretical knowledge should have been acquired through at least two years of training in a relevant educational program. Such training may be documented by presentation of a diploma or a transcript accompanied by evidence of relevant work experience.

    • Not admissible as ST/Ts are persons intending to perform work that is normally carried out by construction trades people (e.g. welders, boiler makers, carpenters, electricians, etc.), even where these trades are specialized to a particular industry (e.g. aircraft, power distribution, etc.).

  4. A businessperson in the MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIST category must be seeking temporary entry to carry out chemical, biological, haematological, immunologic, microscopic or bacteriological tests and analyses for the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of diseases.

  5. PHYSICIANS may not enter the U.S. or Mexico to provide direct patient care. However, patient care associated with teaching and/or research is allowed.

What documentation do I need at the border?

At a U.S. or Mexican port of entry, you must establish that you qualify as a NAFTA Professional.

You should carry with you proof of Canadian citizenship (ideally, your Canadian passport) and a letter from your prospective employer, or signed contract, outlining the purpose of your entry. This will assist in your inspection by U.S. and Mexican immigration officials.

The letter or contract should include:

  • your job title and detailed summary of duties
  • starting date and anticipated length of stay
  • payment arrangements
  • proof that you meet the necessary education and experience requirements to work in the profession, including all applicable degrees, and licences
  • original or certified copies of your diploma or credentials

INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO MEXICO

How can I apply as a Professional?

To work in Mexico as a Professional, you will require an approved FM-3 form, which you can obtain from a Mexican embassy or consulate in Canada, from a National Migration Institute office within Mexico, or on-line (Embassy of Mexico web site).

You can also enter Mexico with a Multiple Migratory Form (FMN), which you can obtain at no charge from most travel agencies and airlines or at a Mexican port of entry. (The FM-3 form is not issued at Mexican ports of entry.) The FMN is valid for up to 30 days. However, before starting work in Mexico you must obtain an FM-3 form. You will also need to obtain a professional identity card from the Directorate General of Professions of the Ministry of Education before engaging in your profession.

When applying for an FM-3 form you must demonstrate that you meet the qualifying criteria as a NAFTA Professional. FM-3 forms are valid for one year but you may request up to four extensions of one year each before you need to get a new form. Please keep in mind that there is a processing fee for the FM-3 form.

Regardless of where you apply for the FM-3, the following information will be required:

  • a letter in Spanish from the employer addressed to the immigration authority
  • your passport (valid for at least six months from the date of application)
  • two recent passport-size photos (no eyeglasses)
  • cash or money order for the application fee
  • a copy of your valid FMN, if the application is being made from within Mexico

The letter from the company in Mexico must contain your full name and address, request an FM-3 Visa, and refer to the attached documentation. In addition, it should explain the purpose of your trip, the arrangements for payment, and the location(s) of work within Mexico. Also, make sure that you provide the information required to demonstrate you meet the requirements of a NAFTA Professional as outlined in the above section, "What documentation do I need at the border?" If applying from Canada, you must forward four copies of each document. An immigration office must validate your visa within 45 days of your arrival in Mexico.

How can I change or renew my status?

If you wish to change your temporary residency status, you can apply in Mexico at a National Migration Institute office. If you are seeking an extension, you must make a declaration that there has been no change in the purpose or circumstances of your original entry.

For additional and more detailed information on temporary entry into Mexico please visit Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.