TN Visa — USMCA Professional Work Visa

What is it?

The TN visa is a nonimmigrant work visa available exclusively to Canadian and Mexican citizens under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA, formerly NAFTA). It covers over 60 specific professional categories including accountants, engineers, lawyers, scientists, nurses, and computer systems analysts. Canadians apply at the US border; Mexicans apply at a US consulate.

Who needs it?

Canadian and Mexican citizens who have a job offer in one of the designated TN professional categories and hold the required educational qualifications for that category. The employer must be a US company.

Required Documents

• Valid Canadian or Mexican passport
• Employer support letter describing: job title, duties, qualifications required, length of employment, and salary
• Proof of qualifications for the specific TN category (degree, professional licence, membership)
• Form DS-160 + visa application fee (Mexican citizens, consular processing only)
• Proof of Canadian or Mexican citizenship
• Evidence that the position falls within an approved TN occupation list

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Job title or duties don't match a qualifying TN occupation precisely
• Degree is in an unrelated field — the degree must match the TN category
• Employer letter is vague or missing required details
• Canadians trying to enter for a profession that is not on the TN list
• Showing immigrant intent — TN requires non-immigrant intent, though concurrent green card filing is allowed under certain conditions

Approval Tips

• Canadians: apply at any US port of entry — approval is typically same-day with no appointment needed
• Mexicans: apply at the US consulate in Mexico with the full application package
• The employer letter is the most critical document — have a lawyer review it
• TN is granted for up to 3 years and can be renewed indefinitely
• Keep a copy of your TN approval (I-94) and employer letter at all times