TN1 Visa - Work

TN1 Visa Status- for Canadian and Mexican Nationals/Citizens to Work in the USA 

Canadians & Mexicans who want to work in the USA can use  the NAFTA "TN" (treaty national) visa program. The visa iis available for most professional / skilled types of jobs and professions (see below). 

A qualifying TN employment offer is required from a qualifying US employer
The TN visa is not designed for self employment, or to set up a personal business.  

The TN Visa initially lasts one year, but is renewable indefinitely.

There is no limit or quota of TN visas that can be issued each year.  

The TN category offers Canadian professionals a fast track into the USA. Once in the US other options such as the H1B visa can be considered for a longer term stay 

TN Applicants may apply at border posts. Show your professional credentials, proof of university education and a cover letter from the employer describing your job duties. The INS border inspector should process your application within a few hours. 

If you are already in the US you can apply for TN status by mail through an USCIS regional processing center. 

The TN visa automatically expires upon application for permanent residence. If you have a TN and want a green card, change status to H1B or E treaty status before applying for the green card. The H1B lasts for up to six years, which is generally more than enough time to process the green card. 

NOTE. Mexican Citizens must apply through the USCIS Service Centers inside the United States, and are subject to longer processing times. 

TO OBTAIN A TN1 VISA - it requires obtaining a sponsorship job offer with a US employer that will 'sponsor' and file the TN visa application on behalf of the candidate 
Types of TN Jobs and Professions that qualify for the TN1 Visa Program
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 license. 
Computer Systems Analyst 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post Secondary Certificate 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 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 Québec) 
L.L.B., J.D., L.L.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. Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Mathematician 
(including statistician) 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Range manager/ Range conservationist 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Research assistant 
(working in a post-secondary educational institution) 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Scientific technician/ technologist a theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics; and 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. 
Teacher / College or University 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Teacher / Seminary 
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 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., 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 
(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. 
Geochemist 
Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree. 
Geologist 
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