Information updated as of December 26, 2025:
There are two primary visa options for Canadian artists and bands to live and work in the U.S.:
- P-2 Work Permit (Artists or bands only, continue reading below) OR
- O-1B Visa (Artists, Producers, Songwriters, Music Directors etc.)
If you are a musician or in a band early in your career, the easier of the options is a P-2 Work Permit.
If you are a producer or a songwriter, you will have to apply for an O-1B, unless you’re taking business meetings.
If you are coming to the U.S. for business meetings or a conference without being paid, citizens from certain countries such as Canadian citizens do not require visitor, business, transit or other visas to enter the United States, either from Canada or from other countries, UNLESS the person is working in the United States. There are, however, some exceptions to this situation. Contact us and we can help you sort it out.
P2 Eligibility Criteria:
Eligibility criteria for a P2 visa:
1. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply for a U.S. work permit
If you are a permanent resident or have a visa to live or work in Canada, you can apply for a P2 visa to live and work in the U.S. However, the requirements to apply are slightly more complicated, and are not outlined on the AFM or CFM website. I’d recommend you contact an attorney experienced in filing P2s to help.
2. You must be an artist or in a band
You must be an artist or in a band. If you are a producer or songwriter, you cannot apply for a P2. You may have been told differently in the past. However, AFM has clarified that only artists and bands are eligible for P2 work permits. If you have personnel, such as a manager, technicians, or other folks that help you, you can apply for a a for them too, but the initial P2 work permit has to be issued for an artist or band.
3. You must have a reason to be working and living in the U.S. supported by contracts
You have to have a reason to be in the U.S. That may go without saying, but you have to have concrete plans to perform, record, song write in sessions, and/or attend meetings in the U.S. and the majority of your itinerary must be supported by contract(s) or deal memos. Examples of acceptable contracts: a record deal, publishing deal or sync licensing deal, deal memos or contracts for performance or recording with a producer.
4. You must provide an itinerary
You have to provide an itinerary of dates and places you will be working in the U.S. for the duration of your work permit. That means, if you have plans to be in the U.S. for the entire duration of the work permit, one year, you have to outline your plans.
If you’re touring, the easiest way to do this is to speak to your booking agent about providing you with an itinerary of dates, venues (with addresses) and with whom you are playing, with agreements in support or a letter outlining the details of your engagement.
5. You must have a valid passport
To enter the U.S. under a P2 work permit, you must have a valid passport for the duration of your P2. If your passport is expired or near expiration, renew it as soon as possible.
Duration of Visa:
Your P2 work permit can be for as long as the activity you are traveling to the U.S. for, up to a maximum of one-year. Your P2 can be extended thereafter if your activities are a continuation of activities for which you were granted your initial P2 or you can apply for a new P2.
Costs and Timeframe of Approval:
As of the date of this article, P2 work permit regular processing times are approximately 8-10 months. You can expedite (rush) a P2 work permit to be approved in approximately 45 days, but it is an expensive additional fee.
The government application fee for regular processing, 8-10 months, is $510.00 USD. For 45 days, you must apply for expedited processing $3315 USD ($510 + $2805 expedited processing fee).
For musicians PLUS technical personnel or crew, it’s $1020 USD for regular processing, and $6630 USD for premium processing.
You and your band members, if any, all must be members of your local musician’s guild in Canada for the duration of your P-2 work permit. Last month I was told Toronto’s musician’s guild membership is approximately $400 Canadian Dollars for one person for the duration of the P2 Work Permit. If you happen to be from a city outside of Toronto, your local musician’s guild may be cheaper, so be sure to check!
AFM also charges a mandatory fee for processing, which is $120 CND for one musician plus $25 CND per additional musician. For premium processing the fee is $150 CND for one musician plus $25 CND per additional musician. For crew, double the AFM fees.
Due to the costs and duration associated with a P2, established creatives may want to consider applying for an O-1B visa, which can be issued for up to three years. Long term, your goal may be to eventually become a U.S. permanent resident (aka “green card” holder), which you can achieve by going from an O-1B to EB-1.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
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