NonimmigrantEmployment-basedCanada and Mexico onlyNo annual capRenewable in 3-year periods

TN USMCA Professional (Canada and Mexico)

Lets citizens of Canada and Mexico work in the U.S. for a U.S. or foreign employer in one of the professions listed in the USMCA, for up to 3 years at a time.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 2026Sources: USCIS · eCFR · Department of State · CBPReport an error

At a glance

Who can apply: Citizens of Canada or Mexico only
Period of admission: Up to 3 years
Total time limit: None set by regulation
Canadians: No visa needed; apply at a port of entry or preclearance
Mexicans: TN visa from a U.S. consulate required
Dependents: TD status; no work, study allowed

Profession list is closed. Only the occupations in Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of Chapter 16 of the USMCA qualify (formerly NAFTA Appendix 1603.D.1, now reproduced in 8 CFR 214.6(c)). Each comes with its own minimum credential. Self-employment is not allowed.

Overview

TN status comes from the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA. It lets a Canadian or Mexican citizen carry out prearranged business activities at a professional level for a U.S. employer or entity. A foreign employer is allowed if the work is prearranged services for a U.S. entity. 8 CFR 214.6 lists the professions and the minimum degree, license or experience required for each.

The process depends on citizenship. Canadian citizens do not need a visa and apply to a CBP officer at a designated port of entry or at a U.S. preclearance station. Mexican citizens must first get a TN visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate in Mexico and then seek admission. There is no annual cap and no labor certification.

TN is not a dual-intent classification. The applicant must convince the officer that the stay is temporary, meaning the assignment has a predictable end. Regulations allow admission or extension for up to 3 years at a time with no fixed overall limit, as long as the person keeps doing qualifying TN work.

Who qualifies

The applicant must

Be a citizen of Canada or Mexico. Permanent residents of those countries do not qualify.
Have a prearranged job offer or contract at a professional level with a U.S. employer or entity. Running a business in which they are the sole or controlling owner does not count.
Work in a profession on the USMCA list and meet that profession’s minimum credential, such as a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree, a state or provincial license, or a post-secondary diploma plus 3 years of experience where the list allows it.
Show the stay is temporary, with an assignment that ends at a predictable time.

Professions on the list include

General: accountant, architect, computer systems analyst, disaster relief insurance claims adjuster, economist, engineer, forester, graphic designer, hotel manager, industrial designer, interior designer, land surveyor, landscape architect, lawyer, librarian, management consultant, mathematician (including statistician and actuary), range manager, research assistant (at a post-secondary institution), scientific technician/technologist, social worker, sylviculturist, technical publications writer, urban planner, vocational counselor.
Medical and allied: dentist, dietitian, medical laboratory technologist, nutritionist, occupational therapist, pharmacist, physician (teaching or research only), physiotherapist/physical therapist, psychologist, recreational therapist, registered nurse, veterinarian.
Scientists: agriculturist, animal breeder, animal scientist, apiculturist, astronomer, biochemist, biologist, chemist, dairy scientist, entomologist, epidemiologist, geneticist, geochemist, geologist, geophysicist, horticulturist, meteorologist, pharmacologist, physicist, plant breeder, poultry scientist, soil scientist, zoologist.
Teachers at the college, seminary or university level.

Duration & extensions

Each admission	Up to 3 years (8 CFR 214.6(e))
Extension in the U.S.	Up to 3 years per extension, requested by the employer on Form I-129
Readmission at the border	A new 3-year period can be requested at a port of entry with a new employer letter
Overall limit	No specific limit while the person keeps doing qualifying TN work (8 CFR 214.6(h)(1)(iv))
Changing or adding employers	The new employer files Form I-129, or the worker applies again at the border. New work cannot start before approval.

Fees

Fees depend on where the TN is processed. All USCIS amounts come from the USCIS fee schedule (G-1055, edition 10/01/26).

Fee	Amount	Who pays	Notes
Nonimmigrant visa application fee (Mexican citizens)	$185	Applicant	Non-petition-based visa category; a reciprocity issuance fee may also apply based on nationality.
Form I-129 (extension, change of status or employer)	$1,015 paper / $965 online	Employer	Small employers and nonprofits pay $510.
Asylum Program Fee (with Form I-129)	$600	Employer	$300 for small employers; $0 for nonprofits.
Premium processing (optional, Form I-907)	$2,965	Employer or applicant	Available for TN-1 and TN-2 petitions.
CBP fee at the port of entry (Canadian citizens)	Set by regulation	Applicant	8 CFR 214.6(e) requires Canadians to pay the prescribed fee on admission. Ask CBP for the current amount.

Public Law 119-21 (signed July 4, 2025), section 100007, requires a Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250 when a nonimmigrant visa is issued. As of October 1, 2026, the State Department’s fee schedule (22 CFR 22.1) lists no Visa Integrity Fee and no implementing notice has been published in the Federal Register, so the amount actually collected at visa issuance should be confirmed with the consulate. Canadians applying at the border are not issued a visa.

Processing time

Premium processing (I-129): 15 business days; USCIS timeframe for premium-eligible I-129 classifications, including TN.
Canadians at the border: Decided at inspection; CBP decides on the spot at a port of entry or preclearance location.

Mexican applicants wait for a consular appointment, and wait times vary by post. Regular USCIS processing for extensions also varies; check USCIS processing times.

Application steps

1
Confirm the profession
Match the job to a profession on the USMCA list and make sure the applicant holds that profession’s minimum credential.
2
Get a support letter
The employer writes a letter naming the USMCA profession, describing the duties, giving the expected length of stay, the applicant’s qualifications and the pay arrangements.
3
Canadians: apply at entry
Bring proof of Canadian citizenship, the letter and the credentials to a CBP officer at a port of entry or preclearance station, and pay the CBP fee.
4
Mexicans: apply for a TN visa
Complete Form DS-160, pay the visa fee and attend an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate in Mexico, then present the visa at a port of entry.
5
Admission
If approved, the applicant is admitted in TN status for up to 3 years, with a multiple-entry I-94.
6
Extend or renew
Before the I-94 expires, the employer can file Form I-129 with USCIS, or the worker can apply again at the border with a new letter.

Required documents

From the employer

Letter naming the USMCA profession and describing the duties, the expected length of stay and the pay arrangements
For an extension or new employer: Form I-129 with the required fees

From the applicant

Proof of Canadian citizenship, or a Mexican passport with a TN visa
Degrees, licenses or professional memberships required for the profession (foreign degrees may need an evaluation)
Evidence of experience where the profession requires it

Dependents & family

A TN professional’s spouse and unmarried minor children are admitted in TD status for the same period as the TN. Canadian TD dependents do not need a visa. Dependents who are not Canadian need a TD visa unless exempt.

TD dependents may not work but may study. Spouses who want to work need their own work authorization.

Path to a green card

TN status requires a temporary stay, so a pending green card process can conflict with the intent the officer must accept at each entry or extension. No separate green card route exists for TN workers.

Step 1

Employer petition

Most TN workers who become permanent residents do so through an employment-based petition (for example EB-2 or EB-3), usually after PERM labor certification.

Step 2

Timing

An immigrant petition can affect later TN entries and extensions, because the officer must be convinced the stay is temporary.

Some employers move workers to a dual-intent status such as H-1B before starting a green card process. Decisions are made case by case.

H-1B

Specialty occupation worker

Dual-intent professional visa with an annual cap.

E-3

Australian specialty occupation

L-1A

Intracompany manager or executive

For transfers within a multinational company.

E-2

Treaty investor

Canadian and Mexican investors may qualify instead.

B-1

Business visitor

Short business trips without U.S. employment.

Common questions

Do Canadians need a visa for TN status?

No. Canadian citizens apply directly to a CBP officer at a designated port of entry or a U.S. preclearance station. Mexican citizens must get a TN visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate first.

How long can someone stay in TN status?

Up to 3 years per admission or extension. The regulation sets no overall limit, provided the work stays professional-level TN activity and the stay remains temporary.

Can a TN worker be self-employed?

No. TN does not allow setting up a business in which the professional is, in substance, self-employed. Working for a company the professional solely or mainly owns counts as self-employment.

Can a TD spouse work?

No. TD dependents may study but are not authorized to work in TD status.

Does a Canadian permanent resident qualify?

No. TN is limited to citizens of Canada and Mexico.

Official sources

Recent changes

Oct 1, 2026
Online presence review extended to I, TN and TD applicants. From October 1, 2026, State Department consular officers review the online presence of I, TN and TD visa applicants, who are instructed to set all social media profiles to public. Source ↗
Mar 1, 2026
Premium processing fees adjusted for inflation. A final rule published January 12, 2026 (91 FR 1059) raised premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026; the I-907 fee for TN petitions is now $2,965. Source ↗
Jan 1, 2026
Proclamation 10998 expands entry restrictions. Signed December 16, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, it continues the June 2025 restrictions and adds more countries. Nationals of fully restricted countries are barred from entry on any visa unless an exception applies; for partially restricted countries, consular officers are told to shorten the validity of nonimmigrant visas other than B, F, M and J. Source ↗
Oct 1, 2025
Narrower visa interview waivers. Since October 1, 2025, nearly all nonimmigrant visa applicants need an in-person interview. The exceptions are mainly diplomatic and official visa classes and certain B-1/B-2 and H-2A renewals. Consular officers can still require an interview in any case. Source ↗
Jul 4, 2025
Visa Integrity Fee enacted. Public Law 119-21 created a non-waivable Visa Integrity Fee of at least $250, due when a nonimmigrant visa is issued. As of October 1, 2026, the State Department’s fee schedule does not list it. Source ↗
Jun 9, 2025
Proclamation 10949 travel restrictions take effect. Signed June 4, 2025, it fully or partially suspended entry for nationals of 19 countries, effective June 9, 2025. Source ↗
Apr 1, 2024
New USCIS fee schedule and Asylum Program Fee. The USCIS fee rule published January 31, 2024 took effect April 1, 2024. It set separate Form I-129 fees for each classification, created reduced fees for small employers and nonprofits, and added an Asylum Program Fee to I-129 petitions. Source ↗

This page is general reference material compiled from the official sources above and is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on individual facts; rules and fees change, so confirm with the agency before you file. VisaTypes.com is not affiliated with USCIS, the Department of State or any government agency. Spotted an error? Tell us.