General information TN visa

TN status is for Canadian or Mexican professionals.  The TN category is similar to H-1B except there is no limitation on the amount of time a person can be in that status.  A TN visa applicant must have at least a baccalaureate degree or equivalent.  Canadian Citizen may apply directly at the port of entry, and an I-94 will be issued for one year with multiple entries.  This procedure facilitates and accelerates the delay in obtaining a work permit which is very interesting for US employers.

It is important to know that TN visas are available for those that do not have immigrant intents.  TN visas can be renewed.  However, in order to determine whether or not an applicant can renew his or her TN visa, there are some factors to analyze. 

Spouses and unmarried minor children accompanying or following to join a TN principal will get TD. Dependents are not authorized to accept employment.

Do you qualify for a TN visa?

In order to determine if you qualify for a TN visa, we have listed below a list of criteria to meet:

You may think that you qualify for a TN visa.  However, even after questioning yourself to ensure that you meet all the necessary criteria, the answer is not always black and white.  Since the individual applying for a TN visa is doing it on real-time manner, it is highly recommended to be well prepared.  You cannot take too many precautions.  Not only that you must be qualified for a TN visa and meet all the requirements but, your case must also be supported accordingly to US immigration laws and regulations.

TN visa categories

There are several different categories under TN visas.  Each of them requires specific education and/or work experience.  See the list below for details.

Architect

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license

Computer Systems Analyst

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post Secondary Certificate and three years’ experience

Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster (Claims Adjuster employed by an insurance company located in the territory of a Party, or an independent claims adjuster)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims; or three years’ experience in claims adjustment and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims

Economist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Engineer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license

Forester

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license

Graphic Designer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or post-secondary diploma and three years’ experience

Hotel Manager

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree in hotel/restaurant management; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate in hotel/restaurant management and three years’ experience in hotel/restaurant management

Industrial Designer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years’ experience

Interior Designer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years’ experience

Land Surveyor

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree or state/provincial/federal license

Landscape Architect

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Lawyer (including Notary in the province of Quebec)

L.L.B., J.D., L.L.L., B.C.L., or Licenciatura degree (five years’’); or membership in a state/provincial bar

Librarian

M.L.S. or B.L.S. (for which another Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree was prerequisite)

Management Consultant

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or equivalent professional experience as established by statement or professional credential attesting to five years’ experience as a management consultant, or five years’ experience in a field of specialty related to the consulting agreement

Mathematician (including statistician)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Range Manager/Range Conservationist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Scientific Technician/ Technologist

Possession of (a) theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics; and (b) the ability to solve practical problems in any of those disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of those disciplines to basic or applied research

Social Worker

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Sylviculturist (including forestry)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Technical Publications Writer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree, or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years’ experience

Urban Planner (including Geographer)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Vocational Counselor

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Dentist

D.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontologia or Doctor en Cirugia Dental or state/provincial license

Dietitian

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license

Medical Laboratory Technologist (Canada)/Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or post secondary diploma or post secondary certificate, and three years’ experience

Nutritionist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Occupational Therapist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state provincial license

Pharmacist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state provincial license

Physician (teaching or research only)

M.D., Doctor en Medicina; or state/provincial license

Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license

Psychologist

State/provincial license; or Licenciatura degree

Recreational Therapist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Registered Nurse

State/provincial license or Licenciatura degree

Veterinarian

D.V.M., D.M.V., or Doctor en Veterinaria; or state/provincial license

Agricultural (Agronomist)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Animal Breeder

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Animal Scientist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Apiculturist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Astronomer

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Biochemist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Chemist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Dairy Scientist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Entomologist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Epidemiologist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Geneticist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Geochemist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Horticulturist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Meteorologist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Pharmacologist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada)

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Plant Breeder

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Poultry Scientist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Soil Scientist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Zoologist

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

College

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

Seminary

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

University

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree