Program delivery update: Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (CUKTCA)

May 20, 2021

The Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (CUKTCA) came into force on April 1, 2021. It is used to process nationals of the United Kingdom (UK) who were previously covered under the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemption codes will remain the same as in CETA; however, officers are advised to add a special program code to distinguish CUKTCA and CETA applications in the Global Case Management System (GCMS).

The instructions for processing UK nationals have been developed to provide guidance on the provisions of the trade agreement between Canada and the UK.

Applications received from UK nationals under CETA up to and including December 31, 2020 should have been processed under CETA.

Applications received from UK nationals on or after January 1, 2021 up to March 31, 2021 (before the coming into force date of CUKTCA) will have to meet the eligibility criteria under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or other agreements such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services under the International Mobility Program provisions.

Further, UK nationals currently working in Canada under a CETA exemption cannot renew this authorization under the terms of CUKTCA. A new application will be required.

New instructions

• International Mobility Program: Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (CUKTCA)

Updated instructions

• International Mobility Program: International Free Trade Agreements
• International Mobility Program: Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
• Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Business visitors (work permit exempt under R186(a)/R187)
• Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Investors R204(a) (work permit required/LMIA exemption code T46)
• Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Contractual service suppliers and independent professionals (work permit required/LMIA exemption codes T47 and T43)
• Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Intra-corporate (company) transferees R204(a) (work permit required/LMIA exemption code T44) and spouses (open work permit/LMIA exemption code T45)
• Canada-European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – Engineering technologists and scientific technologists (work permit required/LMIA exemption code T48)