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HR Alert: New U.S. Immigration Registration Rules Will Impact Business Travel to U.S.

Canada’s relationship with the U.S. continues to deteriorate. The latest development will have direct implications for companies whose business travel plans include sending employees to the U.S. for long-term stays. Yesterday, Ottawa issued a new travel update advising of a new U.S. policy requiring Canadians and other foreign nationals who stay in the U.S. for more than 30 days to register with the U.S. government, effective April 11, 2025. Here’s a quick briefing on the new policy, who it affects, and how to comply with it.  

The New U.S. Foreign Nationals Registration Requirement 

This new Trump slap in the Canadian face is the product not of trade but immigration policy. It began on January 20th, hours into when the newly inaugurated president issued Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, directing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to strictly enforce a provision in U.S. immigration law that requires all aliens 14 years of age or older who weren’t registered and fingerprinted when applying for a U.S. visa and who remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer are to register with the government.  

Those that don’t comply with the registration requirements face the risk of severe penalties, fines, and criminal prosecution/detainment. While the rule will affect all Canadians that come to the U.S. for 30 days or longer, it will likely have the biggest impact on business travelers, including executives, consultants, and remote workers.   

How to Comply with the Registration Requirement 

Effective April 11, Canadians that have been in or plan to come to the U.S. for extended business or personal trips of 30 days or longer will have to complete a 5-step registration process with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): 

  • Step 1: Each alien must create their own individual USCIS online account. 
  • Step 3: Once the Form G-325R is submitted, the USCIS will review the information it lists and any DHS records that are available about the registrant to determine whether the individual must appear for a biometric services appointment. 
  • Step 4: If required, the USCIS will schedule the registrant for a biometric services appointment at one of its Application Support Centers—although registrants won’t have to pay a services fee, failure to show up for an appointment may be deemed as a failure to register resulting in potential criminal penalties. 
  • Step 5: Once a registrant registers and provides their required biometrics, the USCIS will post a notice (USCIS Proof of G-325R Registration) to the registrant’s online account proving registration that can be downloaded as a PDF or printed out. 

Takeaway 

For decades, the U.S. has allowed Canadian citizens to travel across its borders with little restriction. This policy had made business travel between Canada and the U.S. simple and convenient. As a result, many Canadians travelled to the U.S. for business and stayed in the country for a month or more to attend meetings, conferences, or develop business relationships. But these extended U.S. sojourns are about to become much more difficult. And it’s not just the U.S. Broader security and tightening of immigration restrictions – this policy is part of a global trend that many other countries are likely to emulate. As a result, companies that rely heavily on international travel will have to adjust to the new business travel landscape.