TN VISA IN 11 STEPS
Follow these 11 essential steps to help you complete your TN Visa Application
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Bought the Platinum kit and was able to successfully obtain TN visa at the border (Buffalo NY). The kit … read more provides complete information about the TN process, including things to pay special attention to. You may be able to find bits and pieces elsewhere on the web, but this kit is a credible source with really all the information you need.
The most valuable part of the kit is probably the sample employer letters it provides. I was able to use the sample letter for the Accountant TN category as template, and edit it for my own application by adding in my employer information, job description, and past experience. Having a template is extremely valuable because it saves you time from having to come up the language yourself, and gives you peace of mind knowing that the language and format are proven to work. The letter that I drafted was then reviewed and signed by my employer, without additional edits.
USMCA / NAFTA Job List, NAFTA Jobs, NAFTA USA
What is a TN Job?
Table of Contents
TN (Trade NAFTA) status is a non-immigrant employment visa that allows citizens of Canada and Mexico, as NAFTA professionals, to work in the United States in prearranged business activities for U.S. or foreign employers.
Watch Video – Is the TN Visa Difficult?
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.
NAFTA Professional List
Appendix 1603.D.1 – Professions Covered by NAFTA
This page provides the current listing of professional occupations, with minimum education requirements and alternative credentials, required for admission to the U.S. under the terms of NAFTA.
General Professionals
Accountant
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A., or C.M.A.
Architect
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license.
Computer Systems Analyst
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post Secondary Certificate and three years experience.
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.
Forester
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license.
Graphic designer
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma and three years experience.
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.
Industrial designer
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years experience.
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.
Landscape Architect
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
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.
Librarian
M.L.S., or B.L.S. (for which another Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree was a prerequisite).
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.
Mathematician
(including statistician)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Range manager/ Range conservationist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Research assistant
(working in a post-secondary educational institution)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Scientific technician/ technologist
- A theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics;
- 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.
Social worker
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Sylviculturist
(including forestry specialist)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Teacher / College or University
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Teacher / Seminary
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Technical publications writer
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree, or post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate, and three years experience.
Urban planner
(including geographer)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Vocational counselor
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Medical/Allied Professionals
Dentist
D.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontologia or Doctor en Cirugia Dental or state/provincial license.
Dietitian
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.
Nutritionist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Occupational therapist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license.
Pharmacist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license.
Physician
(teaching or research only)
M.D., Doctor en Medicina: or state/provincial license.
Physiotherapist/ physical therapist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license.
Psychologist
State/provincial license; or Licenciatura degree.
Recreational therapist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Registered nurse
State/provincial license or Licenciatura degree.
Veterinarian
D.V.M., D.M.V., or Doctor en Veterinaria; or state/provincial license.
Scientist Professionals
Agriculturist
(agronomist)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Animal breeder
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Animal scientist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Apiculturist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Astronomer
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.
GeneticistBaccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Geochemist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Geologist
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.
Pharmacologist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Physicist
(including Oceanographer in Canada)
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Plant Breeder
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Poultry scientist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Soil scientist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
Zoologist
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree.
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.
The TN Visa Expert Kit explains how to successfully obtain your TN Visa when applying under a scrutinized NAFTA Occupation. It is also highly recommended that an experienced immigration lawyer from the provided Lawyer Network review your application to answer any questions you may have and to strengthen your application specific to your situation.
Scrutinized NAFTA Occupations include:
- Management Consultant
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Engineer
- Scientific Technician / Technologist
“Real Life” Job Titles that Require Special Attention:
- 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. The TN Visa Expert Kit provides 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.
Options For Choosing The Right NAFTA Occupation
- Purchase the TN Visa Expert Kit and read the detailed chapters on how to determine which NAFTA Occupation will work for you.
- After reading the Kit, if you are still unsure which occupation is best for you we recommend that you consult with an immigration lawyer. We have provided a list of immigration lawyers who will assist you with this for an affordable price.
Most people easily obtain their TN Visa by following the instructions in the TN Visa Expert Kit. However, if you are even the slightest bit unsure about which NAFTA Occupation to choose, we recommend contacting an experienced immigration lawyer to help determine the best NAFTA Occupation you qualify for.
Click here to find an experienced immigration lawyer that offers a consultation service.
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
Reduce your chances of being denied with the TN Visa Expert Kit to successfully live and work in the U.S.
Are You Ready Apply by Mail or at the Border?
You can read about the complete TN Visa Application process here.
Recent TN Visa changes now allows you to apply via mail or at a border crossing in person. If you apply by mail, it can take 2 to 3 months for processing and there is a several hundred dollar application fee. At the border you will obtain the TN Visa immediately and the fee is a lot less.
Once you have completed your application, make sure you have everything you need. Read the ultimate TN Visa Checklist. We tell you about things to consider no immigration lawyer wants to tell you because it’s how they make sure your application is successful.
