USMCA / NAFTA Professional List 2024
Appendix 1603.D.1 – Professions Covered by NAFTA
This page provides the current NAFTA Professional List of occupations, with minimum education requirements and alternative credentials, required for admission to the U.S. under the terms of NAFTA.
General TN Visa Professions List
| Profession | Minimum Educational Requirements |
|---|---|
Accountant | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A., or C.M.A. – Conducting seminars and business training will also help. |
Architect | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. ( State license is any document issued by a state of governmental body ) |
Computer Systems Analyst | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post Secondary Certificate and three years experience. |
Lawyer | (including Notary in the province of Québec) L.L.B., J.D., L.L.L., B.C.L., or Licenciatura degree (five years); or membership in a state/provincial bar. |
Management Consultant | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or equivalent professional experience as established by statement or professional credential attesting to five years experience as a management consultant, or five years experience in a field of specialty related to the consulting agreement. Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Librarian | M.L.S., or B.L.S. (for which another Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree was a prerequisite). |
Mathematician | (including statistician) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Industrial designer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years experience. |
Landscape Architect | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Hotel manager | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree in hotel/restaurant management; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate in hotel/restaurant management and three years experience in hotel/restaurant management. |
Forester | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Disaster relief insurance claims adjuster | (claims adjuster employed by an insurance company located in the territory of a Party, or an independent claims adjuster) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims; or three years experience in claims adjustment and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims. |
Economist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Engineer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Graphic designer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma and three years experience. |
Research assistant | (working in a post-secondary educational institution) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Interior designer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years experience. |
Land surveyor | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree or state/provincial/federal license. |
Range manager/ Range conservationist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Social worker | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Teacher / College or University | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Sylviculturist | (including forestry specialist) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Technical publications writer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree, or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years experience. |
Scientific technician/ technologist | 1. A theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics; 2. The ability to solve practical problems in any of those disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of those disciplines to basic or applied research. |
Teacher / Seminary | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Urban planner | (including geographer) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Vocational counselor | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Medical/Allied Professionals for TN Visa
| Profession | Minimum Educational Requirements |
|---|---|
Nutritionist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Occupational therapist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Medical laboratory technologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma or post secondary certificate, and three years experience. |
Pharmacist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Recreational therapist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Physician | (teaching or research only) M.D., Doctor en Medicina: or state/provincial license. |
Dietitian | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Dentist | D.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontologia or Doctor en Cirugia Dental or state/provincial license. |
Physiotherapist/ physical therapist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license. |
Registered nurse | State/provincial license or Licenciatura degree. |
Psychologist | State/provincial license; or Licenciatura degree. |
Veterinarian | D.V.M., D.M.V., or Doctor en Veterinaria; or state/provincial license. |
Scientist Professionals for TN Visa
| Profession | Minimum Educational Requirements |
|---|---|
Animal breeder | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Animal scientist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Astronomer | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Agriculturist | (agronomist) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Apiculturist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Biochemist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Biologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Chemist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Dairy scientist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Entomologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Epidemiologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Geologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Geochemist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Geneticist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Geophysicist | (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Horticulturist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Meteorologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Physicist | (including Oceanographer in Canada) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Pharmacologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Poultry scientist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Plant Breeder | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Soil scientist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
Zoologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. |
What is a TN Job?
TN ( Trade NAFTA ) status is a non-immidrant employment visa that allows citizens of Canada and Mexico as NAFTA professionals to work in the United States in prearranged business activities for US or foreign employers.
More about the TN Visa
USMCA Professional Occupations versus NAFTA
On July 1, 2020, The United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Official Occupations or NAFTA Job List has not changed. You can reference this below.
Scrutinized NAFTA (TN1) Occupations
Some NAFTA (TN1) Occupations are more highly scrutinized by Immigration Officers. If you qualify for the TN (TN1) Visa under one of these scrutinized occupations, proceed with care when creating your TN Visa Application.
Scrutinized NAFTA Occupations include:
- Management Consultant
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Engineer
- Scientific Technician / Technologist
“Real Life” Job Titles that Require Special Attention:
Some NAFTA Professions need special attention. You can see the list below.
- Computer Systems Hardware Analyst
- Management Analyst
- Programmer Analyst
- Systems Analyst
- Biologist
- Consultant
- Director, Research and Development (any industry)
- Economist
- Editor, Technical and Scientific Publication
- Aerospace Engineer
- Electro-optical Engineer
- Optical Engineer
- Graphic Designer
- Interior Designer
- Branch Manager (any industry)
- Customer Technical Services Manager
- Department Manager (any industry)
- Industrial Organization Manager (any industry)
- Office Manager (any industry)
- Program Manager
- Sales Manager (any industry)
- Production Superintendent
- Project Director
- Purchasing Agent
- Technician
- Civil Engineering Technician
- Electronics Technician
- Vice President (any industry)
- Writer, Technical Publications
These are “real-life” job titles. Inclusion here does not mean the job title is on the NAFTA Occupation. It is important to look at the job’s responsibilities, versus the job’s title alone. Our team can provide a detailed step-by-step instructions for how to choose the right NAFTA Occupation for you and how to apply for a TN-1 Visa under one of these highly scrutinized occupations and also be successful.
Options For Choosing The Right NAFTA Occupation
Talk to an experienced immigration lawyer to help you with your case
Consequences For Choosing The Wrong NAFTA Occupation
- Being denied your TN Visa
- Having to re-apply at a later date
- Having to create a stronger TN Visa Employer Letter
- Missing your employment start date
- Time and money of rescheduling travel plans, flights, etc.
- Significantly increasing your stress over facing another possible TN Visa denial
FAQ about NAFTA Occupation
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jacob Sapochnick
Author Jacob Sapochnick serves as the Managing Partner/CEO of a prominent law firm that focuses on immigration law. Boasting an extensive legal background spanning over a decade, he adeptly merges his enthusiasm for law with cutting-edge technology to aid clients worldwide in their journey to immigrate to the United States.