IN THIS GUIDE · Separate the end of an existing engagement from the new professional offer
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Describe both arrangements accurately
Hypothetical example: an existing project may finish later than planned. State which work remains and what the U.S. offer actually requires. Do not present incompatible commitments as agreed or assume the old contract authorizes new work. Build a dated timeline from the existing contract, resignation terms, offer letter and proposed first workday. Mark estimates as estimates. That sequence exposes whether any statement about availability needs qualification rather than optimistic wording.
Apply the profession’s actual requirements
The principal needs Canadian or Mexican citizenship and the prescribed qualifications for a listed profession. The new professional activities, not the prior title alone, need assessment. Experience is not a universal substitute for a required degree. Compare daily outputs with the profession description, then compare the applicant's transcript, degree and licence to the required credential. A title on a payroll record does not settle either comparison. The employer should decide whether to revise an inaccurate duty description or choose a different lawful route.
Connect genuine qualifications and employer evidence
Degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico or the United States require reliable foreign-credential evaluation. Identify the actual prearranged temporary arrangement and ownership; services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant remain prohibited under TN. Ask who directs the work, pays for it and receives the results. The signed letter, organization chart and payment arrangement normally settle those points. Hypothetical example: a speech-language pathologist is offered a role by a rehabilitation network, but the draft letter says she will invoice patients through her own company. The parties must decide whether the actual arrangement is employment rather than an impermissible self-directed practice.
Keep readiness separate from permission
Completing a prior contract does not grant authorization for the U.S. role. Review the actual application or admission process and any existing status before relying on a start. An employer’s preferred date does not settle the immigration conditions. For a Canadian citizen, direct TN processing can occur through CBP at border inspection or preclearance; an employer may also pursue a USCIS Form I-129 petition. Mexican citizens generally need a TN visa before requesting admission. Choose the process that matches the person's facts, not simply the fastest anticipated date.
Apply the temporary-work and credential boundaries
TN concerns qualifying temporary professional activity for Canadian or Mexican citizens. Providing services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant falls outside the permitted arrangement; a foreign business interest alone is not a blanket disqualification. Degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico and the United States require a reliable foreign-credential evaluation. Any licence needed to practise the profession in the United States is a separate question from the listed TN qualification. The record should state a temporary professional assignment, its duration and the employer's payment terms. TN disallows operating as one's own employer. Collect the qualifying degree or other listed credential before travel, and treat local professional practice rules as a separate operational question.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.