US Consulate
615 Macleod Tr SE Suite 1000
Calgary, AB T2G 4T8
(403) 266-8962
www.amcits.com/halifax.asp
The consulate is open to the public from 8:30 am to 11:30 am weekdays.  There’s a line in the lobby of the building, and then a security guard escorts visitors to the consulate.  You can’t bring electronics and many other items, including cell phones, with you, so leave them in the car or rent a locker in the building to store them.  American citizens don’t need an appointment to visit.

Embassy
Street Address
The Embassy of the United States of America
490 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 Canada
1-613-688-5335
1-613-688-3082 (Fax)
http://ottawa.usembassy.gov

Postal Address
P.O. Box 866
Station B
Ottawa, ON K1P 5T1

Consulate General Halifax
Suite 904
Purdy’s Wharf Tower II
1969 Upper Water Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3R7 Canada
(902) 429-2480 x2991

Visa
Canada permits the temporary entry of qualified visitors, students and foreign workers under various employer ‘sponsorship’ programs. A visitor is a person who is lawfully in Canada, or seeks to come into Canada for a temporary purpose (such as work, study or visit) and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or the holder of a minister’s permit. An individual allowed into Canada pending further examination because a Port of Entry officer cannot immediately conclude an examination, is not a visitor. United States citizens are permitted to stay in Canada for a period of up to 6 months without a visitors visa.

Canada has traditionally applied a “Canadians’ First” policy when dealing with foreign workers, and employment authorizations were issued only where an employer could prove that such employment would not adversely affect the employment opportunities for Canadians. A number of mechanisms currently provide for the admission of foreign workers without a requirement to obtain a labor market opinion. In some cases special programs have been implemented which provide blanket labor market opinions confirming the existence of labor market shortages, thereby facilitating the entry into Canada of such qualified individuals. Increasingly, policies are being formulated to recognize the trend towards globalization and to facilitate the cross border movement of personnel resources.

Work Permits
Several conditions must be satisfied in order to qualify for a work permit. First, you must receive a job offer from a Canadian employer. When the offer is received, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) usually provide a labor market ‘opinion’ or simply their confirmation of your job offer. HRSDC determines whether the job offer is legitimate and if it is the right thing for the Canadian labor market for you to be hired. For example, if there is a shortage of computer programmers and you have the skills, you will be more likely to have an application approved.

Some individuals may be exempt from satisfying some conditions for work permit issue. You may obtain a work permit without the confirmation from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) if you belong to any of the following groups:

Professionals, traders and investors who are citizens of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries. This regulation also allows the issuance of work permits to people who enter Canada under other types of international agreements.

Some types of entrepreneurs, intra-company transferees and other types of workers, who will provide significant benefit to Canadians or permanent residents by working in Canada.

Persons whose employment in Canada provides similar employment to Canadians abroad, such as participants in youth exchange programs, exchange teachers and other reciprocal programs.

Foreign students studying in Canada who need to work in order to fulfill co-op placements.

Spouses and common-law partners of skilled foreign workers, spouses and common-law partners of certain foreign students, spouses and common-law partners of a person doing post-graduation employment for certain foreign students and post-doctoral fellows.

Persons undertaking charitable or religious work.

Certain persons who need to support themselves while they are in Canada for other reasons such as the refugee determination process and certain persons who have been accepted for permanent residence in Canada.

Additional Requirements
In order to be able to work legally in Canada, you must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) card. This card can be obtained from the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) by presenting your passport and a valid work permit.

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