TN Visa
TN Visas are non-immigrant work visas granted under NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. The TN allows citizens of Canada or Mexico, who belong to certain professions, to work in the United States on a temporary basis. The NAFTA professional must be coming to the United States to work for a US employer (self-employment is prohibited). Canadian citizens can apply for TN status at the border. Mexican citizens can apply for TN status at a US consulate in Mexico.
TN Visas are good for up to three years and must be renewed (either by returning to Canada or Mexico or through a petition filed at a USCIS Service Center). Although the number of renewals that can be granted is not limited, TN renewals can be denied if the government believes the applicant has the intent to become a permanent resident of the United States.
Below is a list of qualifying positions under NAFTA:
PROFESSION MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND ALTERNATIVE CREDENTIALS
GENERAL
Accountant Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A., C.M.A.
Architect Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license
Computer System Analyst Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or post-secondary Certificate and three years experience
Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree and successful completion of training
(Claims Adjuster employed by an insurance in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief
company located in the territory of a Party, claims; or three years experience in claims adjustment and successful
or an independent claims adjuster) 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 license
Landscape Architect Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Lawyer (including Notary in L.L.B., J.D., L.L.L., B.C.L., or Licenciatura degree (five years); or membership
the province of Quebec) in a state/provincial bar
Librarian M.L.S. or B.L.S. (for which another Baccalaureate or Liceciatura degree was 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
Mathematician (including statistician) Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Range Manager/Range Conservationist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Research Assistant (working in Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
a post-secondary educational institution)
Scientific Technician/Technologist Possession of (a) theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines:
agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics; and (b) 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) 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
(Canada)/Medical Technologist post-secondary certificate, and three years experience
(Mexico and the U.S.)
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 Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license
Recreational Therapist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Registered Nurse Licenciatura degree; or state/provincial license
Veterinarian D.V.M., D.M.V., or Doctor en Veterinaria; or state/provincial license
SCIENTIST
Agricultural (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
Chemist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Dairy Scientist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Entomologist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Epidemiologist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Geneticist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Geochemist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Geophysicist (including Oceanographer Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
in Mexico and the United States)
Hosticulturist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Meteorologist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Pharmacologist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Physicist (including Oceanographer in Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Canada)
Plant Breeder Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Poultry Scientist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Soil Scientist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Zoologist Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
TEACHER
College Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
Seminary Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
University Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree
