New Canada-UAE Trade Deal Opens Fast-Track Work Permits for Professionals

Canada and the United Arab Emirates have signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), introducing temporary entry provisions for skilled professionals, business visitors, and intra-company transferees that are scheduled to take effect in 2027.

Who Is Impacted

The agreement targets cross-border corporate operations and technical talent moving between Canada and the UAE. Once active, the framework creates simplified entry routes, including exemptions from the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, for specific personnel categories:

• Intra-Company Transferees: Executives, senior managers, and specialized knowledge workers moving between Canadian and UAE corporate entities.
• Skilled Professionals: Technical and engineering specialists qualified under the agreement’s temporary mobility provisions.
• Business Visitors: Executives and commercial representatives entering for short-term negotiations, investments, or corporate setup.

By eliminating the standard LMIA requirement for covered roles, companies operating in both jurisdictions will be able to transfer key staff without first demonstrating that no domestic worker was available for the position.

The temporary mobility commitments are integrated into the broader CEPA framework, which remains subject to final administrative implementation before the 2027 entry pathways open for applicants.

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