BIG MOVE.
BETTER QUESTIONS.

Canadian permanent residence alone does not meet the TN citizenship requirement. TN is available to qualifying Canadian and Mexican citizens. Begin with the passport you hold, not simply the country where you live. For a useful first conversation, write down your citizenships, current Canadian status, proposed U.S. work and employer. If TN is unavailable, that does not decide whether another category fits: an intracompany transfer or treaty-investor assessment asks different questions about your employment or business.

Start by describing what you actually intend to do. TN concerns a qualifying professional role; L classification concerns a transfer within a qualifying organisation; E-2 concerns a qualifying enterprise and investment. A preferred visa name is not a substitute for those facts. Try writing a short brief: who will pay you, what work you will perform, who owns the business, and whether you want a temporary move or permanent residence. That brief makes a category comparison more productive.

They are different stages. A visa allows its holder to seek admission; the admission decision and permitted stay involve U.S. border authorities. Some Canadian applicants use category-specific visa exemptions, which do not remove the need to qualify for the status requested. Keep a separate record of any petition decision, visa and admission document. When discussing a start date, ask which stage has been completed and which permission is still needed instead of treating an application receipt as the end of the process.

Do not assume that a business visit and employment are interchangeable. The Canadian temporary-entry guide distinguishes business-visitor activities from professional work, investment and intracompany transfers. Describe the actual tasks planned for each trip, including who receives the service and where the work happens. A practical itinerary is more useful than describing everything as meetings. Before accepting a start date, have the proposed activities assessed under the correct category and separate permitted preliminary travel from the work you ultimately intend to perform.

A title alone is not enough. The proposed work must fit a listed TN profession and you must meet that profession’s qualifications. For preparation, compare the actual duties with the credential evidence rather than choosing a convenient title. Ask your employer for a clear account of the work, anticipated duration and compensation. If the position combines several functions, flag that mix early. Do not rewrite responsibilities to suggest a role that differs from the job you will actually do.

That depends on the listed profession’s requirements. Where a degree is required, substantial experience does not automatically replace it; some professions have specified alternative credentials. Make a record of your completed qualifications, awarding institutions and relevant employment. If the qualification name or field differs from the proposed role, identify that issue before collecting a large application file. The useful question is whether your evidence meets the particular profession’s standard, not whether your overall career seems impressive enough.

TN does not permit using a company arrangement to disguise self-employment. Ownership and control can therefore matter even if a corporation writes the offer letter. Explain every ownership interest, who controls the proposed employer and how your services will be provided. A standard employment letter should not conceal that relationship. If the plan is to establish or run your own enterprise, request a separate business-category assessment instead of assuming incorporation converts self-employment into a qualifying TN job.

Describe the company knowledge the role actually requires and why the proposed U.S. assignment needs it. A general claim that someone is talented gives the reviewer little to evaluate. For preparation, gather examples of internal training, systems, products or processes the employee has worked with, plus a description of their responsibilities. Ask the employer to connect that experience to the assignment. These examples organise the conversation; they are not a promise that every experienced employee meets the specialised-knowledge standard.

Neither ownership nor a director title establishes a managerial or executive role by itself. The actual responsibilities matter. Prepare an honest description of how decisions are made, who performs operational work and which people or functions you manage. An organisation chart is a useful starting point, but it should agree with the day-to-day duties. For a small business, explain the real division of work rather than assuming that being the most senior person settles the classification.

The L-1 framework generally requires a continuous year of qualifying employment abroad within the relevant three-year period. The calculation can require closer review when there have been U.S. assignments or changes in employment. Build a dated chronology covering employers, roles, work locations and interruptions. Keep the original records supporting it. A rough statement that you have been with the company for years is less useful than a timeline showing when and where the qualifying work took place.

A new-office case needs evidence about how the U.S. operation will develop, not only the founder’s background. USCIS requires the proposed operation to support the qualifying executive or managerial position within one year of petition approval. A useful preparation file connects premises, funding, staffing and planned work. Treat forecasts as forecasts and explain their basis. The business plan should show who will carry out routine operations as the enterprise develops, rather than relying on an executive title alone.

Compare the underlying business facts. An L-1 assessment examines the qualifying company relationship, employment history and transfer role. E-2 examines treaty nationality, the enterprise and the investment, among other requirements. Make one factual business profile before asking which route fits. Include ownership, existing operations, your work history and the U.S. plan. That prevents comparing two attractive labels while overlooking a missing foundation. Where both appear relevant, ask counsel to explain the obligations and uncertainties of each for your circumstances.

There is no single dollar figure that establishes a substantial E-2 investment for every business. The assessment relates to the enterprise and its costs; paying a chosen amount does not guarantee a visa. For preparation, separate the purchase price, launch expenses, operating funds and money already committed. Explain the source of each figure and avoid treating an online example as a universal minimum. Ask for the proposed transaction to be reviewed before relying on it as an immigration plan.

E-2 concerns a real operating enterprise and qualifying investment, rather than simply showing available wealth. Uncommitted money in an account generally is not the required investment. Describe how the proposed business will operate, what it sells and the role you will perform. Keep asset ownership separate from the operating plan: purchasing something does not by itself explain a business. Before committing funds, have the commercial arrangements and immigration requirements reviewed together so that important conditions are not discovered afterward.

An immigration assessment and a financial investment assessment answer different questions. EB-5 involves a qualifying commercial investment and job creation, but those features do not establish that a project matches your financial needs. Keep two separate lists: immigration evidence and commercial risks. Ask who is examining each, what assumptions their conclusions depend on, and which documents remain missing. Do not interpret a project’s immigration marketing as a recommendation to invest or as assurance that your money will be returned.

No. The official Gold Card programme describes a government gift and vetting process, with successful classification through EB-1 or EB-2 as determined by the government and subject to availability. EB-5 is an immigrant-investor category built around a qualifying commercial enterprise and job creation. Keep the two proposals separate when comparing costs, documents and expectations. Do not carry an EB-5 assumption into a Gold Card discussion simply because both involve substantial funds. Review the current programme terms before making any commitment.

TD dependent status does not authorise employment. A spouse who wants to work needs a separate assessment of their own circumstances and any appropriate work-authorised route. Discuss the household plan before choosing a move date, including citizenship, qualifications and prospective employment. Treat the principal applicant’s job offer and the spouse’s work plans as separate parts of the conversation. A family budget should not depend on work permission that has not been established for the person who will do the work.

Qualifying L-2 spouses are employment-authorised incident to their status, and the admission record is important evidence of that status. The rules for a spouse should not be applied to a dependent child. After admission, review each family member’s record and ask about any discrepancy before relying on it for employment. Keep the principal’s documents and the spouse’s documents organised separately. If an employer asks for evidence, confirm the applicable Form I-9 documentation rather than assuming a marriage certificate alone answers the question.

Plan each person’s documents individually. For example, a Canadian TN principal’s visa arrangements do not automatically determine those of a non-Canadian spouse or child. Create a family table showing citizenship, relationship, current immigration status and proposed travel dates. Ask whether everyone will use the same process and whether accompanying later changes the document plan. This is particularly useful when one person holds multiple passports or family members live in different countries. Avoid booking on the assumption that one approval settles every person’s entry.

No. Obtain the current programme requirements for every person you intend to include, rather than using one headline amount as a household quote. The official site describes application charges, vetting and a gift contribution, and individual circumstances can affect additional charges. Ask for a written family-specific explanation identifying applicants, required payments and the proposed classifications. Keep immigration costs separate from relocation and tax planning. A programme summary is not a substitute for reviewing the actual terms applicable to your household.

Identify the discrepancy before submitting the file. A practical review compares names, dates, employers, duties and ownership details across the records you plan to rely on. Write down what differs and ask the document issuer or adviser how to explain or correct it accurately. Do not quietly alter an original record or choose whichever version appears more favourable. The purpose is an understandable, truthful file. Keep both the underlying record and any legitimate correction so the explanation can be followed.

Separate the date you would like to move from the stages that must happen first. Make a timeline for evidence collection, filing, any interview and travel documents, then identify which stages remain uncertain. Processing information is a planning input, not a personal approval promise. Discuss contingencies with your employer or business partners before making commitments that depend on a fixed outcome. Update the plan when the actual case progresses rather than treating the initial estimate as an appointment for relocation.

Ask for an itemised scope showing who does each part of the work and which payments are separate. Useful headings include preparation support, licensed legal representation where engaged, government charges, translations and other third-party expenses. Clarify what happens if the plan changes or more evidence is needed. For an investment route, keep the investment or gift separate from service fees. This is a practical purchasing checklist, not a statement that every case needs the same professionals or the same package.

Bring a short factual outline rather than a large collection of sensitive files. Include citizenship, current status, the proposed activity, relevant employment or business history, family plans and important dates. Add the three questions you most want answered. Keep original identity and financial documents available, but agree on an appropriate transfer method before sending copies. This preparation helps the conversation identify the route and missing information; it is not a complete filing checklist or a finding that you qualify.