Working in Canada as an American: CUSMA permits, LMIAs and the road to permanent residence

If you have a degree, a job offer and an occupation on the CUSMA list, you can often get a Canadian work permit at the border the day you arrive. Permanent residence takes longer, but Express Entry just got friendlier to people with high-wage jobs.

The short version

• CUSMA professionals: US citizens with pre-arranged work in one of the listed professions can get a work permit of up to 3 years, renewable with no set limit, and can apply at a port of entry [1].
• No LMIA needed for CUSMA permits. Most other employer-sponsored hires need a labor market impact assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada first [2].
• Intra-company transfers work under CUSMA too, with a 7-year cap for executives and managers and 5 years for specialized knowledge staff [3].
• Express Entry is the main route to permanent residence. From November 3, 2026, candidates can get up to 150 points for high-wage Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer, and an LMIA is no longer required for a job offer to count [4][5].
• Fees in 2026: CAD 155 (about USD 110) for a work permit and CAD 1,590 (about USD 1,140) for a principal applicant's economic PR application, including the right of permanent residence fee [6].

USD conversions use the Bank of Canada rate of 1.3989 CAD per USD (November 5, 2026) [10].

Your options at a glance

Canada has two main temporary work streams: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which needs an LMIA, and the International Mobility Program, which doesn't. CUSMA permits sit in the second one [2].

The CUSMA professional permit

CUSMA (the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, called the USMCA back home) replaced NAFTA in 2020 and kept the old "TN" style work route. To qualify, IRCC says you must [1]:

1. Be a US or Mexican citizen. Green card holders don't qualify through this route.
2. Work in an occupation listed in Appendix 2 of CUSMA.
3. Hold the minimum education or credentials for that profession.
4. Have pre-arranged employment with a Canadian employer.
5. Provide professional-level services in your field.

Examples from the list

The list is old and specific. Software developer, for example, isn't on it by that name, so tech workers usually apply as a computer systems analyst or engineer. Some examples and their minimum credentials [1]:

Self-employment isn't allowed. If you'd be working for a Canadian company you substantially control, IRCC treats that as self-employment and refuses the permit [1]. Remote freelancers and US-paid digital nomads need a different plan.

Applying at the border

Because Americans don't need a visitor visa, you can apply at a port of entry, such as the land border at Buffalo or Detroit or on arrival at Toronto Pearson [1]. Your employer first submits the job offer through IRCC's Employer Portal and pays the CAD 230 employer compliance fee [1][6]. Then bring:

1. Your US passport.
2. Your degree, diploma or license, plus transcripts if your degree name doesn't obviously match the job.
3. A detailed offer letter confirming the employer, the profession, the job duties and the qualifications it needs.
4. Supporting evidence: reference letters, a resume, certifications and a clear description of the work [1].
5. Payment for the CAD 155 work permit fee [6].

A heads-up: the officer decides on the spot, and a vague job description is the usual reason things go sideways. Make sure the duties match the CUSMA profession, not just the job title.

Intra-company transfers

If your US employer has a Canadian parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate, you can transfer after at least one year of full-time work with the company in the previous three years [3]. Executives and senior managers (T37) can stay up to 7 years in total; specialized knowledge workers (T38) up to 5 years [3]. Initial permits run up to 3 years, with renewals in 2-year steps.

When an employer needs an LMIA

If your job isn't on the CUSMA list, the employer usually needs a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada showing that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to do it [2]. It's the closest thing to the H-1B labor certification process back in the States, and it takes time and paperwork. Employers can skip it when an LMIA exemption code applies, which is what CUSMA and other International Mobility Program categories are [2].

Bringing your spouse

Spouses of some work permit holders can get an open work permit, which lets them work for almost any employer. Canada has narrowed this in recent years so it mostly covers spouses of workers in higher-skilled and management jobs, and ties the timing to how long the principal's permit has left. Check the current rules on IRCC's family work permit pages before you plan around a second income. Kids can attend Ontario public schools while a parent works here.

Express Entry: the road to permanent residence

Most Americans who stay long-term become permanent residents through Express Entry. You create an online profile, IRCC scores you out of 1,270 on the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and the highest-ranked candidates get an invitation to apply in regular draws [7]. Draws can be general or target categories such as health care, skilled trades and education [5].

The three programs inside Express Entry are the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program and the Canadian Experience Class. The last one is why many Americans start on a CUSMA permit: a year of skilled work in Canada counts for a lot.

What changed on November 3, 2026

IRCC announced the changes on October 16, 2026, and they took effect on November 3 [4][5]:

"High-wage" is about the occupation's typical pay, not your own salary, and IRCC publishes the list [5]. Profiles in the pool were recalculated after November 3, and draws were paused for up to two weeks while that happened [4]. Extra points still don't guarantee an invitation.

After the invitation

1. Submit the full PR application with police certificates (including an FBI identity history summary for Americans), a medical exam and proof of funds if required.
2. Pay the fees: CAD 1,590 for an economic principal applicant, plus CAD 85 per person for biometrics [6].
3. Land. Once approved, you confirm PR and get a PR card. After enough time physically present, you can apply for Canadian citizenship, and the US allows dual citizenship.

What follows you from the States

Working in Canada doesn't end your US obligations. Uncle Sam still wants your annual return, and Canadian accounts over USD 10,000 in total trigger an FBAR [8]. Canada's tax rates usually mean the foreign tax credit covers your US bill, but a US expat tax preparer can check your situation, especially if you have a TFSA or Canadian mutual funds.

Social Security is coordinated by the US-Canada totalization agreement. If a US employer sends you to Canada temporarily, it can request a certificate of coverage so you keep paying into US Social Security instead of the Canada Pension Plan [9]. Most people hired locally pay into the CPP instead.

Want to compare notes on border interviews and Express Entry draws? Join our community group for Americans in Canada.

Sources

1. Professionals – CUSMA [R204(a) – T36], Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
2. Who needs a labour market impact assessment, Government of Canada
3. Intra-company transferees – CUSMA, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
4. 2026 changes to points for Canadian work experience and job offers in Express Entry, IRCC
5. Canada refocusing Express Entry on top talent that drives economic growth, IRCC (October 16, 2026)
6. Fee list, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
7. Express Entry: check your score, IRCC
8. Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), IRS
9. US-Canada Social Security agreement, Social Security Administration
10. Bank of Canada: Daily exchange rates

Keep reading

• Moving to Toronto as an American: visa routes
• Getting OHIP: Ontario health coverage for newcomers
• Canadian taxes for Americans: how they fit with your US return
• Tax treaties and totalization agreements