TN status lets citizens of Canada and Mexico work in the U.S. in professions covered by the USMCA. Prima.Law prepares port-of-entry, consular and I-129 TN cases from one template set.
A citizen of Canada or Mexico with a prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer, in a USMCA profession they are qualified for.
No visa needed. Apply to CBP at a port of entry or preclearance with an employer letter, or the employer files Form I-129 with USCIS.
Must get a TN visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, using the DS-160 and an interview, then seek admission at a port of entry.
Initial stay is up to 3 years. TD spouses and children may study but not work. Permanent residents of Canada or Mexico can't use TN.
TN is a nonimmigrant classification under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that lets citizens of Canada and Mexico work in the U.S. in prearranged professional jobs. The profession must be included in the USMCA, the position must require a USMCA professional, and the worker must have the qualifications for that profession.
Canadians do not need a TN visa: they can apply to CBP at a port of entry or preclearance station with proof of citizenship and an employer letter, or the employer can file Form I-129 with USCIS. Mexicans must get a TN visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, then seek admission. The initial stay is up to 3 years, extended through Form I-129 or by departing and seeking readmission.
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may be eligible for TD status. They may study but cannot work, and their TD status cannot extend beyond the TN worker's authorized stay.
General information based on USCIS and other government guidance. Eligibility depends on each client’s facts; this is not legal advice.
The employer letter must tie the job to a USMCA profession and the worker's credentials, and vague duties can lead to a refusal.
How Prima.Law helps: Employer and employee data autofill the support letter and Form I-129, so job title, duties, degree and credentials match across every document in the case.
Canadian applicants reach the port of entry missing a credential evaluation, a signed letter or proof of citizenship.
How Prima.Law helps: A proven checklist built by active immigration lawyers lists the letter, credentials and proof of citizenship; the worker uploads to it in the portal and staff mark items complete before travel.
Mexican TN and TD applicants each need a DS-160 before the consular interview, and CEAC sessions time out on long forms.
How Prima.Law helps: Data is prepared once in Prima.Law and the Chrome extension autofills the DS-160 on CEAC. If CEAC is slow or goes down, the data stays safe in Prima.Law and is sent again instead of retyped.
Templates for Canadian port-of-entry, Mexican consular and I-129 TN petitions or extensions, each with its own checklist.
Employer and employee data autofill into the support letter and I-129, so job title, duties and credentials stay consistent.
The Chrome extension autofills the DS-160 on CEAC for Mexican TN and TD applicants. Review and submit on CEAC.
Pull I-94 and travel history from CBP with the Chrome extension to confirm status before an extension or readmission.
Confirm the job is on the USMCA professional list and the worker has the required qualifications.
The employer letter describes the prearranged job and the worker's qualifications.
Canadians apply to CBP or via Form I-129. Mexicans complete the DS-160 and interview at a consulate.
The employer files Form I-129 before status expires, or the worker departs and seeks readmission.
Registration, LCA, I-129, cap-exempt petitions, extensions and transfers.
Treaty trader and investor cases, at the consulate or by I-129 in the U.S.
L-1A managers and executives, L-1B specialized knowledge, blanket L.
All business immigration case types in Prima.Law.
Book a demo and see how Prima.Law handles TN Visa cases.