Ian E. Scott sat on a Trade, Immigration and Innovation: Implications for Canadians in the US Panel at the Canadian Consular General Office in New York.
The panel covered the following topic:
- Since the U.S. election, what are the main immigration policy issues facing Canadian expats?
- Can you please provide any insight on changes on the horizon to work visas and special rules for Canadians? Specifically:
- TN visa (and how this relates to the NAFTA negotiations)
- Intra-company L-1 visas, H-1B visas (Admits 80,000 people per year) and alternatives (http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/canadian-immigration-firm-sees-boom-in-the-trump-era)
- Status and work options for spouses and family members
- In light of the political and legal developments over the last year, what are the implications for dual citizens? What about from a tax perspective?
- What are the pros and cons of a Green card?
- On a macro immigration system level, what are your thoughts on the notion that the Trump Administration is trying to emulate Canada’s merit-based immigration system? (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/08/11/trump-wants-to-emulate-canadas-immigration-system-heres-why-it-wont-work/?utm_term=.5e3e394b39e2)
- The Trump Administration recently endorsed a steep cut in legal immigration. What are the economic implications of this policy? (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/08/02/its-a-grave-mistake-for-trump-to-cut-legal-immigration-in-half/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.4391e007cc43)
- In your view, what are the most important cross-border immigration issues today? What are implications for Canadians living in the U.S.?
- Many Canadian expats have expressed concern about the NAFTA negotiations’ possible implications on the TN visa. Is this concern legitimate?
- How should Canadians feel about the tone surrounding the NAFTA negotiations? The Canadian government has emphasized its longstanding friendship with the U.S., while the Trump Administration has focused on its economic shortcomings. How will this impact specific details of the negotiations?
- There has been a lot of discussion surrounding trade deficits and about how the U.S. has a substantial trade deficit in its trading relationship with Canada. Are trade deficits an accurate proxy for fairness of a deal? Should we possibly re-shift the focus from surplus/deficit to totality?
The panel was moderated by Steven D’Souza who is a popular CBC Correspondent in NY
http://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/
Mr. Scott was honored to be selected to sit on the prestigious panel.
