If you are a Canadian Citizen who wants to work for an employer in the United States, you may want to consider applying for a TN work visa.



​The TN visa was created under the North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, U.S. and Mexico. Under this visa, a Canadian citizen may work in a professional occupation in the U.S. if they meet the following requirements:

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1.         He/she qualifies under the "Professional Occupations under the North American Free Trade Agreement" list.

            (Please   refer to the link below regarding a list of occupations that qualify)

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            http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/en/view.aspx?x=343&mtpiID=147#Ap1603.D.1

         

2.         the Canadian citizen possesses the specific criteria for that profession (ie: university degree in a specific occupation);



3.         the employment position in the U.S. requires someone in that professional capacity; and



4.         the Canadian citizen has arranged employment with the U.S. Employer.



There are several advantages to applying for a TN Visa. First, TN Visas are valid from one to three years and TN Visas are easier to apply for than an H-1B Visa which is another work visa category that requires the U.S. employer making an application on behalf of the Canadian employee.  There are two ways to apply for a TN Visa:



1.         in person at a port of entry (“POE”) to the United States (POEs include:  land-border crossings, airports or seaports);



2.         submitting a paper application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS);



Another advantage to applying for a TN Visa is that a decision to grant or to deny the visa is made immediately by a U.S. Border and Customs Officer (“CBP Officer”).  If you are refused a TN Visa at the POE, you will learn the reasons for the refusal right away and you can attempt to correct it immediately.

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If your TN Visa application is denied by the USCIS, the wait time is longer and the U.S. employer may be persuaded to not employ the Canadian applicant.



Our Service.

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If you are interested in applying for a TN Visa, please contact one of our immigration professionals for a consultation.