Update the employer and reassess the realistic application and work sequence. An offer deadline cannot waive the required qualification.
Keep a revised offer consistent
If the employer changes the start date, use the actual revised terms. Avoid beginning US work on the theory that a favorable result is likely to arrive shortly.
Tell the employer what remains outstanding and obtain a replacement letter or contract with the start date. Confirm the profession’s Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A listing and minimum credential, plus citizenship, duties, pay, duration, and employer identity. Only Canadian or Mexican citizens may qualify for TN; Canadian permanent residence is insufficient. TN also requires prearranged work for an American employer or an employer outside the United States. A likely passing grade cannot replace the required credential, and no work should start before authorization. Avoid retaining conflicting offer versions or presenting the original date as current. Self-employment remains prohibited. For Canadians, the procedural choices are a port-of-entry application or Form I-129.
Hypothetical example: A Russell registered nurse receives notice that a clinical course result will be released three weeks after an Arizona care provider’s orientation. The provider should determine a later reporting date and issue consistent employment evidence; the nurse should gather licensing records required for the profession rather than attend orientation as though employment had begun. If the revised date changes family travel or housing, those plans should follow the immigration sequence. An employer deadline does not alter the profession’s credential rule, and the employer letter or contract must describe the arrangement that will occur.