NAFTA May Have a New Name, but Visa Provisions Are Largely the Same

The United States has reached a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The new deal is largely focused on cross-border trade and tariffs, and adopts NAFTA’s immigration provisions with minimal changes. The USMCA closely adheres to the existing standards for the temporary entry of business visitors, certain professionals (TN visa), intra-company transferees (L-1 visa), and traders and investors (E-1 and E-2 visas), and is not likely to have an impact on labor mobility across the three countries. The United States, Mexico, and Canada are expected to sign the USMCA this fall and present it to Congress in early 2019.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to the USMCA and will post updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available.