U.S. Visas
TN NAFTA Professional Visas
Citizens of either Canada or Mexico can enter the United States to work in professional occupations listed under the NAFTA in two distinct situations. First, Canadian or Mexican companies who have contracts with companies in the United States can send their employees to service those contracts. Second, individuals who have received employment offers from U.S. companies to work in a recognized professional occupation can work for those companies on a temporary basis just as in the H-1B category. An important difference with the H-1B visa is that TN visa holders must retain non-immigrant intent, meaning that they cannot enter the United States and apply for a green card. TN visas can be issued for up to three years at a time, as long as the applicant continues to prove non-immigrant intent.
An advantage of the TN visa is that unlike the H-1B visa, Canadian citizens can apply for TN status directly at a border crossing. To qualify for TN status, the applicant must intend to perform work that is listed on Schedule 2 of Chapter 16 of the NAFTA and the applicant must possess the necessary credentials to be considered a professional. Generally, a bachelor’s or higher degree is required, unless Schedule 2 lists alternative qualifications. Equivalency to a required degree through a combination of experience and education will not be accepted for TN purposes.
List of NAFTA Professionals
| Profession | Minimum Education Requirements or Alternative Credentials |
| General | |
| 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 license2 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma3 or Post-Secondary Certificate4, 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 or Post-Secondary Certificate, 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 Quebec) |
LL.B., J.D., LL.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 |
| Mathematician (including Statistician) |
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Range Manager/Range Conservationalist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution) |
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Scientific Technician/ Technologist |
Possession of: (a) 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 Specialist) | 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 Counsellor | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Medical/Allied Professional | |
| 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 (Canada)/Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States) | 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. or 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 | |
| Agriculturist (including 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 |
| Geneticist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Geologist | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Geochemist | 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 |
| Teacher | |
| College | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| Seminary | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
| University | Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree |
The Links on the right hand column offer a brief overview of U.S. Temporary Visas.
