TN explained for HR
A two-minute briefing for hiring a Canadian professional under the USMCA.
What TN is
TN is a U.S. work classification created by the USMCA trade agreement. It lets a Canadian citizen work in the United States for a U.S. employer in one of 63 listed professions (accountants, engineers, nurses, computer systems analysts and others), for up to three years at a time. Your candidate applies in person at a U.S. port of entry or airport preclearance; a government officer decides on the spot.
TN vs H-1B at a glance
| Topic | TN | H-1B |
|---|---|---|
| Lottery | None | Annual registration lottery |
| Employer petition | None at the border | Required, with a Labor Condition Application |
| Fees your company pays | None for a border application | Several thousand dollars in USCIS fees |
| Time to start | Days — decided when your hire applies | Months — cap cases generally start October 1 |
| Renewals | Three-year increments, no fixed total | Generally six years in total |
What you ARE asked to do
- Offer the job in writing.
- Review a support letter that describes the job, its duties, its length and the pay — correct anything that is not accurate.
- Print it on company letterhead and sign it.
That is the employer’s whole TN-specific role for a border application.
What you are NOT asked to do
- No petition to file with USCIS.
- No lottery to enter.
- No Labor Condition Application.
- No government fee to pay for a border application.
- No account to create.
Typical timeline
- You make the offer.
- The letter is drafted and sent to you for review and signature.
- Your hire applies at the border or preclearance with the letter and their credentials.
- If admitted, they start work — admission is for up to three years.
Government fees
Your hire pays CBP $50 for the TN, plus $30 for the I-94 at a land port of entry ($50 total at airport preclearance). The employer pays no government fee for a border application.
About TNPath
TNPath is the tool your candidate uses to prepare the letter draft; you review it, edit anything inaccurate, and sign the final letter on your letterhead.
Hiring a Mexican citizen
The route is different for a Mexican citizen. Canadians are visa-exempt and apply in person at a port of entry; a Mexican citizen must first have a TN visa from a U.S. consulate, before they travel.
Your part is the same support letter described above: offer the job in writing, review the letter that describes the job, its duties, its length and the pay, correct anything that is not accurate, then print it on company letterhead and sign it. TNPath’s builder prepares that letter draft for the consular route too, in English, for US$99.
The steps on your hire’s side are:
- They complete the DS-160 application and pay the MRV fee of US$185 per applicant.
- They attend an appointment at an Applicant Service Center (CAS) for biometrics, then the consular interview.
- They pay the reciprocity (issuance) fee for the visa: US$79 for 12 months, or US$357 for 48 months.
- Once the visa is issued, they travel to the United States; CBP admits them and issues an I-94 for up to three years.
The visa and the I-94 are separate things: the visa is for entry; the I-94 governs the stay.
This section is also available as a one-page PDF: TN explained for HR — hiring a Mexican citizen (PDF).