The National Arts Centre Orchestra has a vacancy for second trumpet, and the ad reads "winning candidate will be required to show proof of canadian citizenship or eligibility to work"
I am a US citizen; would I be eligible to work, or how could I become eligible? Curious about how this works; anybody know?
Thanks!!

Are you a Canadian citizen? Then no. I suppose if you emigrated to Canada, and became a citizen, then you would be eligible.

Hows that coffee? Cream or sugar with that?

A friend of mine recently (a couple years ago) won an audition for a Canadian orchestra. She was/is a US citizen, and didn't have a work visa for Canada, but after she won the audition she started on the paperwork (which took awhile) and was eventually able to move there and start working.

Apparently things go more smoothly when you already have a job lined up -- your new employer can "sponsor" you, saying "yes, ____ has a job waiting, and it will pay this amount, so you don't have to worry about him moving here and becoming a drain on our social welfare system."

That audition ad is an international posting - in other words you don't have to be Canadian to audition and win it.

Don't worry about the disclaimer. If you win it, they'll help you figure all that out (like Bruce said).

You must be sure the opening is for international players first. Usually there is first a national audition and if no suitable candidate is found then the posting is open to all North Americans. The situation for Americans is complicated, you will get a work permit for two years (depending on the term to determine tenure) and when you get tenure you can apply for landed immigrant status, and eventually you will be able to apply for citizenship. If you are unsuccessful in getting tenure you will have to leave the country the way it works now. There are a number of Government of Canada sites that can answer your more specific questions

...what Vince and RWhite said. I'm an American in a Canadian orchestra and all you have to do is win the job and pay the $150 bucks for the work permit when you cross the border. That's it. It's really quite simple.