Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), certain citizens of Canada and Mexico are eligible to enter the U.S. to work temporarily under nonimmigrant TN status.

The following are the requirements to be eligible for the TN Visa:

  • The profession must be on the NAFTA list.
  • The foreign national must possess the necessary training for that profession.
  • The proposed position must be classified as a professional position.
  • The foreign national must work for a U.S. employer.

Canadian Citizens may apply for the TN-1 Visa, and Mexican citizens may apply for the TN-2 Visa. Please note that the process for obtaining a TN-2 Visa is much more complicated than that of the TN-1. Spouses and/or unmarried children under the age of 21 are eligible to enter the U.S. under the derivative TD-1 and TD-2 visas. Family members may study in the U.S., but they are not allowed to work.