The TN visa is a product of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), entered into between the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico on December 17, 1992. One of the aims of NAFTA was to ease the movement of business/professional persons between the three countries. The TN visa is exclusive for Canadian and Mexican professionals. The TN application process is filed if the employer is the petitioner while the foreign professional worker is the beneficiary. The foreign worker must possess at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent.

There's no limit on the number of years the worker can remain in United States, but the TN visa has to be renewed every 3 years.

There is no numeric yearly quota or limitation to TN Visa holders, which does indeed provide benefits to Canadian and Mexican nationals who qualify. These nationals, with a properly prepared TN petition, can either take a TN petition to Consular Process or, if you are already in the U.S., can file a Change of Status petition without having to leave the U.S., assuming of course all requirements of eligibility are met.

Note: The process is slightly different for Mexican Citizens (TN2), who can only get the visa stamped on their passport through a Consular Interview, instead at the point of entry, as Canadians (TN1) are entitled to do.

TN Visa and Adjustment Of Status (Green Card)

The TN Visa is designed to allow professional workers from Canada and Mexico, to have a temporary job in the US on a specialty field. The TN Visa does not allow dual intent, like the H1B. This means, a TN visa holder cannot look to adjust status to a green card, since the professional worker must have the intent to return home after his temporary job is completed in the US.

In order to seek for permanent resident status, we encourage you to contact an immigration attorney and discuss the options available to you.

List of accepted TN Visa Careers:

SOCIAL AND HUMAN CAREERS / ENGINEERING

• Accountant--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A., or C.M.A.
• Architect--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license.
• Computer Systems Analyst--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post Secondary Certificate and three years' experience.
• Disaster relief insurance claims adjuster (claims adjuster     employed by an insurance company located in the territory of a Party, or an independent claims adjuster)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree and successful completion of training in     the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims; or three years experience in claims adjustment and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims.
• Economist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Engineer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license
• Forester--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license
• Graphic Designer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate and three years experience.
• Hotel Manager--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree in hotel/restaurant management; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate in hotel/restaurant management and three years experience in hotel/restaurant management.
• Industrial Designer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree;or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate, and three years experience.
• Interior Designer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate, and three years experience.
• Land Surveyor--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree or     state/provincial/federal license.
• Landscape Architect--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Lawyer (including Notary in the province of Quebec)—L.L.B., J.D., L.L.L., B.C.L., or Licenciatura degree (five years); or membership in a state/provincial bar.
• Librarian--M.L.S., or B.L.S. (for which another Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree was a prerequisite).
• Management Consultant--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or equivalent professional experience as established by statement or professional credential attesting to five years experience as a management consultant, or five years experience in a field of specialty related to the consulting agreement.
• Mathematician (including Statistician)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Range Manager/Range Conservationist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Research Assistant (working in a post-secondary educational institution)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Scientific Technician/Technologist --Possession of (a) theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics; and (b) the ability to solve practical problems in any of those disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of those disciplines to basic or applied research. 
• Social Worker--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.–Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Technical Publications Writer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree, or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate, and three years experience.
• Urban Planner (including Geographer)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Vocational Counselor--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.

MEDICAL/ALLIED PROFESSIONALS

• Dentist--D.D.S., D.M.D., Doctor en Odontologia or Doctor en Cirugia Dental or state/provincial license.
• Dietitian--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license.
• Medical Laboratory Technologist (Canada)/Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States) --Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or Post-Secondary Diploma or Post-Secondary Certificate,and three years experience.
• Nutritionist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Occupational Therapist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license.
• Pharmacist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license.
• Physician (teaching or research only)--M.D. Doctor en Medicina; or state/provincial license.
• Physiotherapist/Physical Therapist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree; or state/provincial license.
• Psychologist--state/provincial license; or Licenciatura Degree.
• Recreational Therapist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Registered nurse--state/provincial license or Licenciatura Degree.
• Veterinarian--D.V.M., D.M.V., or Doctor en Veterinaria; or state/provincial license.

SCIENTIST

• Agriculturist (including Agronomist)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Animal Breeder--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Animal Scientist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Apiculturist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Astronomer--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Biochemist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Biologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Chemist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Dairy Scientist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Entomologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Epidemiologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Geneticist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Geochemist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Geologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico and the United States)--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Horticulturist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Meteorologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Pharmacologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada)—Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Plant Breeder--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Poultry Scientist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Soil Scientist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Zoologist--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.

TEACHERS

• College--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• Seminary--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.
• University--Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.