The United States created the TN visa based upon the NAFTA Treaty signed in 1993 between Mexico, United States and Canada. The TN visa is specifically for citizens of Mexico and Canada coming to the United States to work. The visa is an excellent way to get working in the USA since it has a low amount of paperwork and a lot flexibility in how you can get this visa approved.
The basic requirements of a TN are as follows:
- Citizen of Canada or Mexico;
- Individual must be a professional with specific education;
- The position in the United States must normally require a professional;
- Must have prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer; and
- Degree and transcript to show qualifications to engage in the profession in question.
Many client contact us to talk about the Management Analyst position on the TN. Be warned this is a highly scrutinized type of TN and has very specific evidentiary requirements. For our office we normally want to gather the following evidence to get a case going:
- A detailed description of anticipated business activities or job responsibilities;
- Anticipated length of stay in the United States;
- Educational qualifications or appropriate credentials demonstrating professional status;
- Arrangements for wages/salary.
The TN does not have a lottery, nor is there any limit to the years you can spend on a TN visa. The only thing to keep in mind is that you must have valid employment and you should have a clean immigration history.
As a final note, we have had success with the TN for Engineering Tech positions, but be warned it’s not as easy as a normal TN and we win because we are very specific about what need to qualify for this type of case.