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Trade agreements with Canada
The UK has 2 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Canada:
- the UK-Canada FTA which entered into force on 1 April 2021
- the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade agreement including 12 countries (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the UK and Vietnam), which entered into force between the UK and Canada on 1 September 2026
The UK-Canada FTA should be read in conjunction with the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) because the UK-Canada FTA incorporates provisions of the EU-Canada CETA. The following Parliamentary Report provides information about significant differences between the two.
The UK-Canada FTA will remain in force alongside CPTPP. At times, you will need to specify which agreement you choose to trade under (notably when applying rules of origin), but benefits from either agreement will mostly apply automatically. Our guides attempt to highlight where businesses may need to make an explicit decision.
CPTPP entry into force and ratification
As of 1 September 2026, CPTPP is in force between the UK and:
- Australia
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Peru
- Singapore
- Vietnam
This means that the UK can access CPTPP provisions with these countries.
This guidance is an explanation of both the UK-Canada Free Trade Agreement and CPTPP Chapter 12: Temporary Entry for Business Persons. Key documents include Canada’s schedule of commitments for temporary entry for business persons in accordance with Article 12.4 of the CPTPP agreement.
This guidance outlines how the temporary entry provisions in these agreements support the movement of skilled UK business professionals to Canada to facilitate trade in goods and services, as well as investment. CPTPP is now in force with Canada, and UK professionals can now benefit from the agreement. Please note, when applying for temporary entry to Canada you will not need to specify that you are entering under a particular FTA.
Be aware that entry into Canada is subject to meeting the relevant immigration and employment requirements set out in Canadian legislation. For more details, visit the UK government guidance on living in Canada.
Temporary entry
Temporary entry provisions in FTAs help provide greater certainty and access for the temporary movement of professionals to:
- deliver services
- negotiate the sale of goods
- invest in businesses in person
The movement of skilled UK professionals supports economic growth, innovation, and collaboration between the UK and its international partners.
These commitments do not afford legal rights to business persons directly. They apply to British citizens only, and not to foreign nationals who reside in the UK. For example, they do not allow British citizens to enter a CPTPP country to look for employment, nor do they apply to measures regarding citizenship, nationality, residence or permanent employment.
FTA commitments on temporary entry do not necessarily lead to improvements in domestic legislation of CPTPP countries. However, they guarantee that CPTPP countries will treat covered business persons no less favourably than what is set out in the FTA. The domestic law of each CPTPP country remains the authoritative source of rights and obligations on temporary entry.
Each CPTPP country must ensure that its domestic law conforms with its FTA commitments. If there is an inconsistency between the country’s FTA commitments and its domestic law (the latter is less favourable than the former), this needs to be brought to the attention of the UK government. See the contacts in the support section on this page.
Categories of business person
Within CPTPP, Canada provides access for the following categories of business persons. The following sections summarise the main categories and length of stay permitted. Please read the full CPTPP definitions in Annex 12-A Canada Temporary Entry for each category to ensure you meet the criteria, including applicable sectors.
Please note that final visa names are set by the destination country and may vary from the FTA text. Prospective visa applicants should check with the government of Canada website for full visa details and other immigration requirements.
Find information for:
- business visitors
- intra-corporate transferees
- investors
- professionals and technicians
In addition, for intra-corporate transferees, Canada shall allow accompanying spouses the ability to enter and work in Canada for the same length of time as the covered business person, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Under the UK-Canada FTA Chapter 10, Canada additionally provides access for the following category of business people.
- business visitors for investment purposes
Business visitors
Business visitors are UK nationals who are seeking to travel to Canada for a relatively short amount of time for business purposes. They must be paid from a source outside of Canada. Applicable business purposes fall under one of the following headings:
- meetings and consultations
- research and design
- manufacture and production
- marketing
- sales
- distribution
- after-sales or after-lease sales
- general service
For full details of applicable activities, please see Category A in Annex 12-A Canada.
Business visitors can stay in Canada for up to 6 months, which may be extended, without the need for a work permit or work authorisation, subject to meeting relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you a UK business person looking to temporarily enter Canada to attend a consultation with your business associates? You will now have certainty that you can stay in Canada for up to 6 months, possibly longer, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Intra-corporate transferees
Intra-corporate transferees are UK nationals employed by an enterprise of the UK, who are being transferred to a parent entity, subsidiary, or affiliate of that enterprise operating in Canada. Canada may require these business people to have been employed by the UK business for one year within the 3 years immediately preceding the date of application for temporary entry.
Under CPTPP, there are several types of intra-corporate transferees.
- The first are specialists who:
- possess specialised knowledge of the company’s products or services and their application in international markets
- have advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the company’s processes and procedures
2. The second are management trainees on professional development who:
- have a post-secondary degree
- are on a temporary work assignment aimed at broadening the employee’s knowledge of, and experience in, a company in preparation for a senior leadership position within the company
3. The third are executives who:
- primarily direct the management of the organisation, or a major component or function of the organisation
- establish goals and policies of the organisation, or of a component or function of the organisation
- exercise decision-making
- receive only general supervision or direction from higher-level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders
4. The fourth are managers who:
- primarily direct the organisation or a department or sub-division of the organisation
- supervise and control the work of other supervisory, professional, or managerial employees
- have authority to hire and fire or take other personnel actions such as promotion or leave authorisation
- exercises discretionary authority over day-to-day operations
Intra-corporate transferees can stay in Canada for up to 3 years, which may be extended, and will be provided a work permit or work authorisation, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. See the intra-corporate transferee page on the Canadian immigration website for more information.
Canada has committed to allow accompanying spouses of intra-corporate transferees to enter and work in Canada for the same period as the intra-corporate transferee, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you a UK based business looking to transfer a senior manager or specialist to a branch office in Canada? That employee could benefit from Intra-corporate Transferee provisions within the FTAs that will mean they can stay in Canada initially for 3 years, possibly longer, alongside their spouse, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Investors
Investors are UK nationals who are seeking to establish, develop, or administer an investment as a supervisor or executive. The business person or business person’s enterprise must have committed, or be in the process of committing, a “substantial amount of capital”.
Investors can stay in Canada for up to one year, which may be extended, and will be provided a work permit or work authorisation, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements. See the Investors page on Canadian immigration website for more information.
Example: Are you a UK business that is currently investing a substantial sum in Canada? You can send a supervisor from your business to Canada to supervise this process for up to one year, possibly longer, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Professionals and technicians
Professionals and technicians are UK nationals who will be supplying a service in a specialty occupation requiring specialised knowledge. For a list of specialty occupations that Canada agreed to extend to UK nationals, see Annex B of the UK’s CPTPP Accession Protocol. They must also receive payment at a similar level to similarly qualified professionals and technicians in the relevant industry in the region where the service is to be supplied.
Professionals must also have:
- a post-secondary degree requiring 4 or more years of study, unless otherwise stated in Annex 12-A Canada
- any additional requirements as defined in Canada’s National Occupation Classification
- 2 years paid work experience in the related sector
Technicians must also have:
- a post-secondary or technical degree requiring 2 or more years of study, unless otherwise stated in Canada’s schedule of commitments for the UK
- any additional requirements as defined in Canada’s National Occupation Classification
- 4 years paid work experience in the related sector
Professionals and technicians can stay in Canada for up to one year, which may be extended, and will be provided a work permit or work authorisation, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Example: Are you a Petroleum Engineer at a UK company with a contract to provide Petroleum Engineering services at a company in Canada? As a professional you will have the certainty that you can stay in Canada for up to one year, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Business visitors for investment purposes
Under the UK-Canada FTA, business visitors for investment purposes are UK nationals who work in a managerial or specialist position within a UK enterprise and are responsible for setting up an enterprise in Canada. They must not engage in transactions with the general public and must receive their income from the UK.
Business visitors for investment purposes can stay in Canada for up to 90 days in any 6-month period without the need for a work permit or work authorisation, subject to meeting the relevant immigration requirements.
Additional information for temporary business travel
As set out in CPTPP, Canada has committed to ensuring that all relevant information related to visas for businesspersons is publicly available. Canada has also committed to ensuring that visa applications are processed quickly, with reasonable fees, and that applicants can receive updates on the status of their applications.
Entry to Canada is subject to applicants meeting the relevant immigration requirements set by Canada. For the full definition of each category and temporary entry limits, please see the government of Canada website.
Check the UK government’s travel advice for Canada to find out more about Canada’s entry requirements.
Department for Business and Trade support
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade agreements, and champions free trade. Helpful links, tools and services available from DBT and wider government include:
Export Support Service (ESS) team
Get support on how to do business abroad. Businesses in Wales can also access support from Business Wales.
Export Support Service – International Markets (ESS-IM)
DBT's overseas in-market export support service for SMEs with high-export potential. Our International Market Advisers provide tailored support and market introduction information to new and current UK exporters looking to enter or expand into new markets. The service may be accessed globally with International Markets teams in South Asia, China, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, North America and Latin America.
Sign up to access webinars on how to grow your international sales.
Information on finance and insurance for UK exports.
Trade and investment factsheets
The latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and individual overseas partners.
Overseas business risk profiles
Information for UK businesses on political, economic and security risks when trading overseas.
Advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences.
Check or report a trade barrier
If you encounter an issue when exporting to any country – report the issue and UK government officials will be able to assess the issue and consider the options we have open to addressing it as appropriate.
Search for your specific product to find applicable tariffs for each market, explore rules of origin and step-by-step help on customs procedures.
Check import duties and allows you to check the status of available tariff rate quotas.
Useful resources
You can find more information about export opportunities, business culture and any existing trade barriers on our market guide.
Prior to export, you must be aware of local regulations and import conditions in Canada that apply to your goods or services. This can include tax considerations, labour laws, intellectual property rules, labelling and packaging regulations, among others.
To seek further information related to local regulations, business culture, or to find a local lawyer, translator, importer or distributor, you can use the following contacts:
- BIST's Export Support Service International Markets team
- get in touch with BIST at the local British Embassy
- get in touch with the British Chamber of Commerce
To see information on political, economic and security risks when trading with Canada, please see:
Legal disclaimer
This document is provided as an information guide only and should not be relied on as a substitute for your own research or independent advice.
No investment and/or business decision should be made solely on the basis of information presented in this document. It is recommended that an independent due diligence investigation is conducted before entering into engagement with any individual, business or other organisation mentioned.
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage caused to any person as result of any error, omission, inaccurate or misleading statement in this document.
The accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the content of any website mentioned in this document is not guaranteed in any way, implied or explicit.
