Canada’s push to diversify trade and investment partners took a major step forward on November 21 as Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded an official visit to Abu Dhabi with two headline announcements. First, Canada and the United Arab Emirates signed a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA). Modeled on Canada’s 38 other bilateral investment treaties, the FIPA creates legally-binding protections such as non-discriminatory treatment, fair and equitable treatment, and investor–state dispute settlement. These provisions are designed to give Canadian and Emirati companies greater confidence to deploy capital, hire staff and move executives between the two markets.
Second, the two governments launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). While tariffs between the countries are already relatively low, a CEPA would remove remaining duties on priority goods, streamline customs procedures and—critically for global-mobility planners—include a dedicated chapter on temporary entry for business persons. Canadian exporters in engineering, clean tech and agri-food stand to benefit, but so do HR teams that relocate specialists; CEPA commitments typically guarantee short-term entry for installers, after-sales service providers and intra-company transferees.
![Canada and UAE Sign Investment Treaty and Launch Free-Trade Negotiations]()
Beyond the texts themselves, the visit unlocked US$50 billion in Emirati sovereign-wealth investment earmarked for Canadian critical-mineral, port and AI projects. Ottawa estimates the capital infusion could create 25,000 jobs, many requiring foreign technical talent. Carney therefore instructed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to explore expedited work-permit pilots for UAE investors and key personnel, mirroring provisions in Canada’s treaties with Korea and Chile that created fast-track visa categories.
For multinational employers, the announcements signal a friendlier corridor for two-way executive travel. Companies that already shuttle staff between Toronto and Dubai under Canada’s Global Skills Strategy or ICT exemptions could soon see lower documentary burdens and longer initial work-permit validity. Mobility managers should map existing assignee populations and model how a future CEPA chapter might interact with CUSMA-style business visitor lists, particularly for project engineers and digital-services specialists.
Negotiators aim to conclude the CEPA within 18 months. Until then, employers should continue using standard International Mobility Program routes but monitor for interim pilot programs. Once the agreement is in force, expect IRCC program delivery instructions outlining eligibility codes, admissibility thresholds and reciprocal quotas—details that will determine how quickly firms can scale cross-border teams between Canada and the Gulf.
Second, the two governments launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). While tariffs between the countries are already relatively low, a CEPA would remove remaining duties on priority goods, streamline customs procedures and—critically for global-mobility planners—include a dedicated chapter on temporary entry for business persons. Canadian exporters in engineering, clean tech and agri-food stand to benefit, but so do HR teams that relocate specialists; CEPA commitments typically guarantee short-term entry for installers, after-sales service providers and intra-company transferees.
Beyond the texts themselves, the visit unlocked US$50 billion in Emirati sovereign-wealth investment earmarked for Canadian critical-mineral, port and AI projects. Ottawa estimates the capital infusion could create 25,000 jobs, many requiring foreign technical talent. Carney therefore instructed Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to explore expedited work-permit pilots for UAE investors and key personnel, mirroring provisions in Canada’s treaties with Korea and Chile that created fast-track visa categories.
For multinational employers, the announcements signal a friendlier corridor for two-way executive travel. Companies that already shuttle staff between Toronto and Dubai under Canada’s Global Skills Strategy or ICT exemptions could soon see lower documentary burdens and longer initial work-permit validity. Mobility managers should map existing assignee populations and model how a future CEPA chapter might interact with CUSMA-style business visitor lists, particularly for project engineers and digital-services specialists.
Negotiators aim to conclude the CEPA within 18 months. Until then, employers should continue using standard International Mobility Program routes but monitor for interim pilot programs. Once the agreement is in force, expect IRCC program delivery instructions outlining eligibility codes, admissibility thresholds and reciprocal quotas—details that will determine how quickly firms can scale cross-border teams between Canada and the Gulf.
