On the eve of election day in the US, anxiety is running high for many Americans about the prospect of a Donald Trump victory.
Many a celebrity has threatened to jump ship in the event that Trump wins the presidency and settle down in Canada, where healthcare is free, recreational marijuana will soon be legal, and the prime minister calls himself a feminist (with a winning smile to boot).
But before you go off looking for a Canadian spouse or dreaming up a risky business to win a Canadian startup visa, let it be known that there is an easier way.
The quickest route to becoming a Canadian resident is to apply under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), something you can do if your job title is on this list of occupations below. Working in one of the NAFTA-covered roles would allow you to apply for a temporary, renewable visa at the border. Of course, you’d need a job offer from a company located in Canada, but employers know that hiring an American under NAFTA is a pretty sure bet, because immigration rules don’t require them to show that they first tried to hire a Canadian. That gives American graphic designers, accountants, and nurses, for instance, an equal shot at Canadian job listings as locals.
If you do end up moving to Canada, be forewarned that it won’t necessarily be what you expect, and you may end up having to prove your cultural worth. Even neighborly Canadians have some wounds to mend with Americans.
Here is the complete list of job titles blessed by NAFTA:
General
Accountant
Architect
Computer Systems Analyst
Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster
Economist
Engineer
Forester
Graphic Designer
Hotel Manager
Industrial Designer
Interior Designer
Land Surveyor
Landscape Architect
Lawyer (including Notary in the Province of Quebec)
Librarian
Management Consultant
Mathematician (including Statistician)
Range Manager/Range Conservationalist
Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)
Scientific Technician/Technologist 5
Social Worker
Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)
Technical Publications Writer
Urban Planner (including Geographer)
Vocational Counsellor
Medical/Allied Professional
Dentist
Dietitian
Medical Laboratory Technologist
Nutritionist
Occupational Therapist
Pharmacist
Physician (teaching or research only)
Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist
Psychologist
Recreational Therapist
Registered Nurse
Veterinarian
Scientist
Agriculturist (including Agronomist)
Animal Breeder
Animal Scientist
Apiculturist
Astronomer
Biochemist
Biologist
Chemist
Dairy Scientist
Entomologist
Epidemiologist
Geneticist
Geologist
Geochemist
Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States)
Horticulturist
Meteorologist
Pharmacologist
Physicist (including Oceanographer)
Plant Breeder
Poultry Scientist
Soil Scientist
Zoologist
Teacher
College
Seminary
University