Many Canadians enter the U.S. for business reasons in B-1 status which allows for a wide range of business-related activities to be conducted. However, some areas of permissible business activities are unclear.
B-1 status which allows Canadian business people to enter the U.S. temporarily on an intermittent basis requires that the visitor maintain his or her Canadian residence, that services performed are for a foreign employer, compensation comes from a source outside of the U.S., and that the duties to be performed are acceptable under the B-1 regulations.
Sales are an acceptable activity under the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA ”) and allows for the taking of orders and negotiating of contracts for goods and services as well as purchasing for an enterprise located abroad. However there are limitations on what is considered legitimate activity for sales under the B-1 regulations.
Rosanna Berardi can provide assistance if you have questions regarding permissible sales activities, have been questioned aggressively or refused entry at the U.S. border. Please contact us at 1-877-721-6100 or send us an e-mail by clicking here.
Page summary: Sales are a permissible B-1 business activity for Canadians under NAFTA but there are limitations on what CBP deems acceptable under this category.
