TN visa for Canadians and Mexicans

• Proof of Canadian or Mexican citizenship (passport).
• Employer letter: the USMCA profession, your duties, the purpose of the job, the length of stay and your qualifications.
• Degree diplomas and transcripts, or the license the profession requires.
• A credentials evaluation, where one applies.
• For a USCIS petition: the approval notice, plus a copy of Form I-129 and its supporting documents to bring to the border.
• For family: marriage and birth certificates for a TD spouse and unmarried children under 21.
• For extensions: your I-94 record and earlier TN approvals.

• Duties that do not match the listed profession, even when the job title does.
• A degree or license below the minimum in 8 CFR 214.6(c); for example, a physician may enter only for teaching or research.
• Self-employment: TN does not cover work for a company you solely or mainly own (8 CFR 214.6(b)).
• Signs that you plan to stay permanently: you must show that the job ends at a predictable time and that you will leave when it does (8 CFR 214.6(b)).
• Permanent residents of Canada or Mexico who are not citizens; they do not qualify.
• Starting work for a new employer before that employer's TN is approved or granted at the border.
• Expecting a TD spouse to work: TD family members can study but cannot work in the U.S.

• You are not a Canadian or Mexican citizen: look at H-1B, O-1 or L-1.
• You plan to stay permanently: TN requires temporary intent, so discuss a green-card route before you file anything.
• You want to start or run your own company: TN does not cover self-employment; look at E-1, E-2 or L-1.
• Your profession is not on the USMCA list: H-1B or O-1 may fit.

Who this is for

• Canadian and Mexican citizens with a U.S. job offer in a listed profession.
• Professionals such as engineers, accountants and scientists on the USMCA list who meet the education or license requirements.
• Citizens of Canada and Mexico who would otherwise face the annual H-1B cap.

Key requirements

• Citizenship of Canada or Mexico. Permanent residents of those countries do not qualify.
• A prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer, in a profession on the list in 8 CFR 214.6(c), with the degree or license that profession requires.
• Canadian citizens can apply at a CBP port of entry or preclearance station, or through a USCIS petition (Form I-129). Mexican citizens first get a TN visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
• Each admission or extension lasts up to 3 years. The stay must be temporary, with a predictable end.
• TN does not cover self-employment in a company you solely or mainly own.

What to check with an attorney

• Whether your job duties really fit the listed profession.
• Whether your credentials are the right ones.
• Whether you plan to stay long term, since TN is temporary and a green-card plan may be worth starting early.
• Whether any change in trade rules affects TN when you apply.

Fees and rules reviewed 16 Oct 2026. Sources below.

Official sources:

1. USCIS: TN USMCA professionals (reviewed 4 Jun 2025)
2. 8 CFR 214.6: TN rules and the USMCA profession list (eCFR)
3. USCIS: Form G-1055, fee schedule (edition 10/16/26)
4. 22 CFR 22.1: State Department fee schedule (eCFR)
5. 8 CFR 103.7: fees, including the CBP TN fee (eCFR)
6. USCIS: How do I request premium processing? (reviewed 23 Mar 2026)
7. CBP: Traveling on a TN or L-1 visa from Canada

What changed: added the USMCA profession list, 3-year admission and extension rules, the Canadian and Mexican routes, 2026 government fees, documents and common reasons for refusal.