Business Visitors under North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA

Business Visitors under NAFTA

Canada is not only an excellent place to visit, but, has a rich cultural diversity.  Canada is also an excellent place to do business. Thousands of people, on a yearly basis, enter Canada to conduct business-related functions, from attending seminars to the purchase of Canadian goods and services.

What Is a Business Visitor Under NAFTA?

Basically, a business visitor is a foreign national who travels to Canada with the intended purpose of conducting international business. A business visitor might partake in such activities as:

• Attending a conference, seminar or observing on site
• Receive training from a Canadian parent company
• The purchase of Canadian goods or services where the profits are outside of Canada

Qualifying as a Business Visitor means providing the right documentation. As people who fall under NAFA are exempt from the requirement of a Temporary Resident Visa, this does not mean that other documentation or applications are not required.

Among other criteria, a business visitor will need to demonstrate through proper documentation that their main source of income is outside of Canada. Further, applicants will also need to demonstrate what their intended purpose is while in Canada. This, at times, can be easier said than done. Providing the right documentation is essential to the success of any application.

Some Basic Documentation, Any Business Visitor, Will Require:

• An invitation letter from the Canadian company to the foreign national
• Employment verification
• Travel documentation
• Identification
• Proof of applicant’s ties to their home country

Further to the right documentation, the appropriate forms will need to be completed. As a business visitor’s stay in Canada is temporary in nature, applicants will be expected to complete an application for a temporary resident visa. A Temporary Resident Visa covers all visitors, including those intending to conduct business activity in Canada. For this reason, there is no separate application from a business visitor.