IN THIS GUIDE · The credential that decides a TN file
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Read the profession's entry before anything else
The agreement's professional appendix sets out, profession by profession, what the applicant must hold. Some entries require a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree. Some accept a post-secondary diploma combined with a stated number of years of experience. Some require a state or provincial licence. The dietitian's entry is not the same as the nutritionist's, and a job title chosen by a human resources department has no bearing on which entry applies. Print the entry, read it beside the offer letter, and identify the single credential that satisfies it. Make the comparison concrete. Mark every duty that the employer expects during the first six months, then ask whether it belongs to the listed profession rather than merely sharing a similar title. A transcript, licence record, and detailed duty list settle different questions; combining them into a generic résumé leaves the actual match hard to see.
Ask the licensing body what it will put in writing
Where a licence or registration decides eligibility, the useful document is the one the regulator issues on request, not a screenshot of an online register. Ask what the regulator provides: a certificate of standing, a registration letter with class and expiry, or a verification sent directly to a third party. Ask how long it takes and whether it can be reissued closer to the filing date. If the destination state also licenses the occupation, ask whether its board requires a separate application before employment can begin. Request the regulator's document before finalizing travel. A current verification should identify the holder, the credential class, any restrictions, and the issuing authority. If a state credential is still pending, the employer needs to know which duties cannot begin until it arrives. Do not assume a Canadian registration answers a separate American licensing requirement.
Confirm employment rather than an engagement
TN covers prearranged professional employment for a United States employer or entity. It does not permit the applicant to be self-employed in the United States. A dietitian who would invoice a clinic as an independent contractor, or who would hold an ownership stake in the practice, must have that arrangement examined rather than described loosely. Any ownership interest should be disclosed. The letter should name the employer, the professional duties, the salary or wage arrangement, and the period sought. The useful review tests control, payment, and ownership together. Identify who can dismiss the worker, who assigns tasks, and whether compensation is wages or invoices. A side business that remains outside the assignment may still need disclosure if it affects control of the enterprise receiving the services. Precision now prevents a later description from contradicting payroll practice.
Know which procedure applies to a Canadian citizen
A Canadian citizen does not receive a TN visa foil in a passport, while a Mexican citizen ordinarily applies for a TN visa at a United States consular post before travelling. The classification is normally requested at a United States port of entry with the supporting evidence in hand, or the employer may file a petition with USCIS instead. Which route is used affects what a refusal means and how quickly the position can start. A dependent spouse or child holds TD status: TD permits study but does not authorise employment, and that limit does not change with the length of the assignment. Choose the procedure only after the evidence is assembled. An arrival-based request puts the file in front of an inspecting officer immediately; a petition route creates an earlier adjudication step but still does not guarantee admission. Keep a duplicate of the signed support letter and the resulting admission record, because later extensions depend on what was approved and when.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.