Canada’s music industry is renown and expanding. Export of music to the United States is a key part of Canada’s music industry’s revenue portrait. It can also be assumed that such a relationship has benefited the United States. As set forth in previous blogs, the difficulty artists face when crossing borders to share music and other outlets of artistic expression in the United States have impeded on and affected both foreign and national markets. In terms of visas related to art, United States and Canada have a special relationship. Section 101(a)(15)(P)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the P-2 Visa, relates to a bilateral exchange program between American Musicians Union and Canadian Musicians Union. While simultaneously analyzing why certain petitions for entry are denied, which has been the focus of previous blogs, it is also important to consider the effect, especially the economic effect, that these denials have on music industries and their relationships with one another. The relationship between the United States’ music industry and Canada’s music industry is particularly noteworthy as the exchange of music between the two has been exceedingly prevalent.

To examine the border environment, the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) commissioned a survey to evaluate the independent music industry, as well as to develop an economic argument for fostering export of Canadian music to the United States. It was also commissioned to help instate a policy recommendation on how to get Canadian musicians over the border with greater ease and frequency. For example, one way economic impact can be measured, as stated from the survey results, is through assessing welfare gains. International trade produces welfare gains by increasing business opportunities and increasing choices in the market. The conclusion of this particular analysis, as by CIMA, is that the economic impact of Canadian sales in the US is currently .58%. Many more results like this are stated in Over the Border and into the Clubs, prepared by Centre for Trade Policy and Law.
This is the beginning of a more in depth analysis of the relationship between the visa petition denials that are happening at the border, and what could potentially foster business growth in both the United States and Canada.
Material described above was obtained from Over the Border and into the Clubs, Prepared by: Centre for Trade Policy and Law