Canadian production companies that sell films and/or television productions to US-based companies can face challenges when sending key personnel to the United States. The issue frequently arises when some or all of the Canadian production is scheduled to take place on location in the US.
Many Canadian production companies focus on more traditional US work permit categories, which were created with the film and television industry in mind (for example, the O-1B for aliens of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry, and the O-2 for related essential support personnel). However, these categories carry onerous eligibility requirements and can be difficult to navigate.
The E-1 (treaty trader) category can be a viable alternative to the O-1B and O-2 categories. Unfortunately, Canadian production companies tend to overlook the E-1 category, because it was initially intended for entrepreneurs rather than the film and television industry.
To learn more about the E-1 qualifications and eligibility requirements, please read the full insight on dentons.com. For more information about this or other immigration-related topics, please contact Henry J. Chang.
