Canada–Philippines trade deal could ease work permits for some Filipino professionals, Toronto immigration lawyer says

Toronto immigration lawyer Lou Janssen Dangzalan told Mabuhay Canada that a proposed Canada–Philippines free trade agreement could let eligible Filipino professionals get work permits without an LMIA, but cautioned it would not be a new pathway to permanent residence and would not remove licensing requirements.

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Filipino professionals hoping to work in Canada could face fewer work permit requirements under a proposed Canada–Philippines free trade agreement, Toronto-based immigration lawyer Lou Janssen Dangzalan told Mabuhay Canada.

"If the agreement establishes appropriate temporary-entry commitments, eligible Filipino professionals could obtain employer-specific Canadian work permits without their employers first securing an LMIA," said Dangzalan, principal of LJD Law. He cautioned that the benefits would depend on which occupations are covered and the requirements in the final agreement, and emphasised that he is not part of either country's official negotiating team.

Canada already has similar arrangements under CUSMA, which covers 63 professional categories, and under CETA with the European Union. Dangzalan explained that eligibility under existing trade agreements generally depends on nationality, occupation and employment requirements; if the Philippine agreement follows a similar approach, some Filipino professionals already in Canada could qualify, though holding a Philippine passport or an existing work permit would not automatically make someone eligible. "I would therefore caution against presenting the free trade agreement as a new pathway to permanent residence," he said.

Mabuhay Canada noted that for regulated professionals, such as internationally educated nurses and engineers who must meet provincial licensing requirements, easier access to work permits would not necessarily remove requirements such as licensing examinations, and that even if both countries sign an agreement, new work permit options would not necessarily become available immediately.

In September, Canada's Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu told Reuters that negotiations on free trade agreements with the Philippines and ASEAN were more than 90% complete, with Ottawa pushing to have both deals ready by the time Prime Minister Mark Carney visits Manila in November. In October, Philippine Ambassador to Canada Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga expressed optimism about the conclusion of both negotiations, The Manila Times reported.