Carney and Macron Discuss Visa-Free EU Living and Working for Canadians
Reporting from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters says Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Emmanuel Macron have discussed allowing Canadians to live and work visa-free in the EU as part of exploring an 'associate member' arrangement. This is an early-stage political discussion, not current law.
What Happened
The Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported that Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed allowing Canadians to live and work visa-free in the EU, as part of exploring an associate member arrangement.
What It Could Mean
- If it ever became policy, Canadians could one day live and work in EU countries without national visas.
- It was reported as a private discussion. No proposal text was published.
What’s Next
Three days later, the European Commission invited Canada to become the EU's first associate member. At the October 30 summit, the joint statement launched discussions on labour mobility but said nothing about visa-free living or working.
What was reported
According to reporting from the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed the idea of letting Canadians live and work visa-free in the European Union, as part of a broader conversation about some form of “associate member” status for Canada.
What this is not
This is not current law, and it is not a programme you can apply to. Nothing in this reporting changes the rules that apply to a Canadian moving to the EU today. To be specific about the gap between a discussion and a rule:
- No legal text, treaty, directive, or regulation has been published.
- “Associate member” is not an existing category in the EU treaties. Creating anything like it would be a major undertaking.
- Free movement of people is one of the most politically sensitive files in the EU. Changes of this size typically require agreement across member states, and often national ratification as well.
- Exploratory talks between two leaders regularly go nowhere. Treat any timeline you see attached to this as speculation.
What it would mean if it ever happened
If Canadians did at some point gain the right to live and work in the EU without a visa, most of the routes described in our guides (residence permits tied to remote work, passive income, or an employer) would become far less relevant for Canadians. That is exactly why it is worth watching. It is also why it is worth being sceptical: a change that large is a change that is hard to make.
What to do in the meantime
Update, October 30, 2026: the summit joint statement does not mention visa-free living or working. See what the summit decided.
Plan against the rules that exist today. If you are considering a move in the next few years, the realistic options are the national routes each member state already operates, or an EU passport through ancestry if you happen to qualify. Two of those routes suit particular groups well: software and IT workers often have an easier time than most, as the guide to tech jobs in Europe for Canadians explains, and retirees can look at Portugal’s D7 or Spain’s non-lucrative visa, covered in how to retire in Europe from Canada. We track this story so you will know if the picture changes, but do not put a move on hold waiting for it.
What Canadians Can Do Today
Update Log
- The summit joint statement launched discussions on labour mobility but did not mention visa-free living or working.
- European Commission President invited Canada to become the EU's first associate member.
- Reports of the Carney and Macron discussion published.
Follow the Associate Membership Talks
Canada and the EU plan to define a closer association by their 2027 summit, with talks on Erasmus+ and mobility along the way. We'll email you at each milestone and say plainly whether anything has changed for Canadians planning a move.
Tracker entries are not legal advice. They record what has been said and by whom. For the routes that exist today, see the relocation guides.