CANADIANS ARE EXEMPT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PROCLAMATION SUSPENDING CERTAIN US WORK VISAS

On June 22, 2020, President Trump issued “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak,”suspending the issuance of new L-1, H-1B, H-2B and J-1 nonimmigrant work visas for the remainder of 2020 to applicants who are currently outside the United States.

These new restrictions took effecton June 24, 2020.    Late on June 24, 2020, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) received confirmation from US Customs & Border Protection headquarters that Canadians are exempt from this latest Proclamation.   When the Canada-United States border re-opens, and companies and their employees feel comfortable to resume travel to the United States, Canadian applicants can obtain L-1 work visas at U.S. preflight inspection at major Canadian airports and land borders.