TN “Trade NAFTA” Visas for Canadian and Mexican Professionals

The TN visa category is only available to citizens of Mexico and Canada and derives from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). TN workers must be coming to the U.S. to engage in business activities (i.e. employment) for a U.S. employer at a professional level and must document their credentials to perform at a professional level (i.e. degree and licensure, as applicable).

A NAFTA appendix defines which professions qualify, as well as which credentials are required to work in the U.S. in that profession under TN status. Professions that qualify include but are not limited to:

• Accountant
• Architect
• Engineer
• Pharmacist
• Graphic Designer
• Librarian
• Economist
• Chemist
• College or University Teacher

TN status may be obtained for a period of up to three years and may then be extended indefinitely. TN applications for Mexicans are filed at a U.S. embassy or consulate in Mexico; for Canadians they are filed directly at a land or air port of entry to the U.S.

To speak with an immigration attorney about TN visas for Canadian and Mexican professionals contact Grossman Young & Hammond.