Work in the U.S. as a Canadian or Mexican professional — without the lottery.

Citizens of Canada or Mexico coming to the U.S. to work in a profession on the USMCA list — roughly 63 categories including engineers, computer systems analysts, management consultants, accountants, scientists, and university-level teachers. Most categories require at least a bachelor’s degree in the field; a few accept licenses or experience-based credentials. The offer must be from a U.S. employer for professional-level work that matches the category.

Canadian citizens can apply directly at a port of entry or airport preclearance — no visa, no USCIS petition, and decisions are often same-day. Mexican citizens apply for a TN visa at a U.S. consulate first, then enter. Employers can also file a petition with USCIS for either. The right route depends on timing, travel plans, and the strength of the category match.

Admissions are granted up to three years at a time and can be renewed indefinitely — but every renewal re-tests the category, the credentials, and the offer letter. There is no cap on total years, which is exactly why the long-term plan matters: TN can carry a career, or it can quietly box one in.

Yes — many of our TN clients do. But TN is a single-intent status: pursued carelessly, a green card case can create problems at the border or at renewal. Sequencing is everything — when to start, how to handle travel while a case is pending, whether to switch to H-1B or L-1 first, and when adjusting status inside the U.S. makes sense versus finishing abroad. See our adjustment of status page and our update on USCIS’s discretionary approach for the current landscape.

Spouses and children under 21 receive TD status: they can live and study in the U.S., but TD does not include work authorization. If your spouse’s career matters to the move, we look at options like their own TN or H-1B, or sequencing the green card with that in mind.