IN THIS GUIDE · Assess the profession and the actual employer before turning an offer into a TN file
Start with the work that will actually be performed
Ask the hiring manager for concrete examples of recurring work and expected deliverables, not a generic job description copied from a posting. Keep occasional tasks distinguishable from the core assignment. Hypothetical example: an Ottawa applicant's offer uses a systems-analyst title, but the attached statement of work emphasizes vendor-contract administration for a client project. Bring both documents to the review; relabelling the position would not resolve which listed profession, if any, actually matches the work.
Use the listed profession's own credential rule
Locate the specific profession on the USMCA professional list and identify the exact degree, licence or alternative it requires. Different professions have different rules, so an experience-based alternative available for one profession cannot be assumed to apply to another. Keep original credential names and transcripts, and commission any translation or credential evaluation only once the applicable procedure and evidentiary need are known. A degree from an institution outside Canada, Mexico and the United States requires evaluation by a reliable service specializing in foreign credentials.
Explain the employer, any client, and any security screening
Document the identified position, remuneration and intended period. If the applicant would be assigned to a client site or subcontracted through a staffing arrangement, explain who actually employs and directs the applicant's work. Disclose ownership interests in either entity. A government security clearance process for a Canadian role is separate from, and does not substitute for, the U.S. immigration analysis of the TN position. Providing services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant is prohibited TN self-employment; an ownership interest in a foreign business alone is not that prohibition.
Prepare for the process that applies to the person
Canadian citizens generally may seek TN admission at an eligible port of entry or preclearance location without first obtaining a TN visa; an employer may also use a USCIS petition where appropriate. Mexican citizens generally follow a different visa-based process. Confirm the current procedure and review any prior U.S. immigration history before travel, since a temporary work intent and a longer-term residence objective deserve separate, individual assessment.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.