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TN Professionals

NAFTA Status: The TN program is the immigration component of the former North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA, now sometimes referred to as the USMCA or NAFTA 2.0). It was negotiated for the purpose of facilitating the flow of goods and services between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

There are two types of TN Visas,

  • TN-1 for Canadian applicants: Apply at the port of entry
  • TN-2 for Mexican applicants: Requires an application for entry at a U.S. Consulate

You may be eligible for TN nonimmigrant status if:

  1. You are a citizen of Canada or Mexico
  2. Your profession qualifies under the regulations
  3. The position in the United States requires a NAFTA professional
  4. You have a prearranged full-time or part-time job with a U.S. employer (but not self-employment - see documentation required below)
  5. You have the qualifications to practice in the profession in question

Among the TN professions common in the higher education settings are:

  • Teacher
  • Scientists
  • Dentists
  • Medical/Allied professionals
  • General

Features of the TN Visa

  • Evidence of Canadian or Mexican Citizenship
  • Employment letter from Thomas Jefferson University, written on official letterhead, addressed to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
  • Employee's CV
  • Original educational credentials (diplomas and transcripts) meet the educational requirements for the employee's TN profession
  • Original licenses and relevant credentials are essential for the employee's TN profession
  • A fee is assessed at the border (for Canadians) or at the consulate (for Mexicans)

*Once the TN request is processed, the required documents will be provided to the TN applicant by OIS

  • Initial period of stay: Up to 3 years
  • Extension of stay: In most cases, a Canadian TN visa holder can extend TN status following the same procedures outlined above. TN can be requested in 3-year increments indefinitely

  • TN employment may be part- or full-time
  • TN status is employer-specific; the TN professional is only permitted to work for the TN sponsor
  • A TN employee may have more than one employer, but each employer must request separate TN authorizations for the employee

  • TN employees may be accompanied by a spouse and/or unmarried minor children under 21; dependents are granted TD status. Non-Canadian and Mexican citizens must similarly apply for TD status at a U.S. Consulate

Following arrival in the U.S., the employee should email OIS and provide a copy of their TN visa stamp and their Form I-94 admission record showing that they were admitted into the U.S. in TN status.

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