The category in brief
The TN list names this category Mathematician (including Statistician), and a note to the list says the term includes the profession of Actuary. As with every category, a Canadian applicant shows Canadian citizenship, a credential that meets the category’s minimum, and an employer letter describing the role for a temporary period.
Your letter should use the list’s full title, Mathematician (including Statistician), even if your job title is Statistician, Biostatistician or Actuarial Analyst. The duties then need to read as mathematical or statistical work.
What the TN list requires
“Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree.”TN profession list, Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of USMCA Chapter 16 (8 CFR 214.6(c))
The list names a degree as the only route. There is no licence or experience alternative. The USCIS Policy Manual’s chapter on specific occupations doesn’t include separate guidance for this category, so the list entry is the starting point.
Degrees earned outside Canada, the U.S. or Mexico are usually presented with a credential evaluation from a recognized U.S. evaluation service.
Actuaries
“The term ‘Mathematician’ includes the profession of Actuary. An Actuary must satisfy the necessary requirements to be recognized as an actuary by a professional actuarial association or society. A professional actuarial association or society means a professional actuarial association or society operating in the territory of at least one of the Parties.”Note to the TN profession list (8 CFR 214.6(c))
For an actuarial role, the note says an actuary must satisfy the requirements to be recognized as an actuary by a professional actuarial association or society operating in Canada, the United States or Mexico. Bring your designation certificate and a current membership confirmation. TNPath’s builder has an actuarial option that adds the note and your designation to the letter.
Work that reads as mathematics or statistics
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes mathematicians and statisticians as deciding what data are needed to answer specific questions, designing surveys and experiments, and developing mathematical or statistical models to analyze data. It describes actuaries as analyzing statistical data to estimate the probability and cost of risk events.
Roles built mainly around routine reporting, dashboards, database work or software development read differently, even with an analytical title. Describe the methods and the analysis you’ll actually do.
Duties that describe mathematical and statistical work
Officers read the duties to decide whether the job really is mathematical or statistical work. Concrete, professional-level duty statements make the letter easy to assess. These examples show the style; use only the ones that genuinely describe the job, in your employer’s own terms.
- Develop mathematical and statistical models to analyze data and solve business problems.
- Design surveys, experiments and sampling plans to collect data.
- Apply statistical methods such as regression, time-series and Bayesian analysis.
- Validate models and assess the reliability of statistical results.
- Estimate the probability and financial cost of future events using actuarial methods.
- Interpret statistical findings and present conclusions to management.
Never add, inflate or reword duties to fit a category. Every line in the letter should be something your employer will confirm and you can describe in your own words at the counter.
Job titles that draw questions
Titles like Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Reporting Analyst or Financial Analyst often describe reporting or business analysis rather than mathematics or statistics. Data Scientist and Machine Learning Engineer can describe statistical work or software development. Officers look past titles to the actual work. TNPath’s builder flags these titles and wording so you can check them with your employer.
Documents to bring
- A valid Canadian passport.
- The signed employer support letter, on company letterhead (original plus a copy).
- Your résumé, consistent with the letter.
- Your offer letter or employment agreement, if you have one.
- A way to pay the CBP fee (a card is simplest).
- Your degree diploma and official transcripts showing your mathematics or statistics coursework.
- For an actuarial role, your designation certificate and a current membership confirmation from the actuarial association or society.
- A credential evaluation only if your degree was earned outside Canada, the U.S. or Mexico.
See the full TN document checklist for renewals and family members.
Build your TN Mathematician (including Statistician) packet
Uses the full list title, with an actuarial option. An editable Word letter plus a personalized PDF guide.
Common questions
Is Statistician a separate TN category?
No. The list names “Mathematician (including Statistician)”, so statisticians use that category, and the letter uses the full list title.
Are actuaries covered?
A note to the list says the term “Mathematician” includes the profession of Actuary, and that an actuary must satisfy the requirements to be recognized as an actuary by a professional actuarial association or society operating in Canada, the U.S. or Mexico. TNPath’s builder includes an actuarial option.
Is data scientist a TN profession?
Not by that name. Some data science roles are mainly statistical work and some are mainly software development. The duties decide what the job is. TNPath doesn’t make that call; if it’s borderline, get independent advice.
As a Canadian, do I need a TN visa before I go to the border?
No. Canadian citizens are visa-exempt and apply for TN status directly at a U.S. port of entry or airport preclearance, with their documents in hand. The officer decides at the counter. People still search for “TN visa”, but for Canadians it’s a status granted at entry, not a visa stamp.
Will TNPath tell me whether I qualify?
No. TNPath is a document-assembly tool. It organizes the facts you provide into templates and gives general information. It doesn’t make eligibility determinations or recommend case-specific strategy. Only U.S. Customs and Border Protection decides whether to admit you.
Sources
- 8 CFR 214.6: Citizens of Canada or Mexico seeking TN status (Cornell LII)
- USMCA text, Chapter 16: Temporary Entry for Business Persons (Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A), via USTR
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Mathematicians and Statisticians (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Actuaries (Occupational Outlook Handbook)
- CBP: Traveling on a TN or L-1 from Canada
Last reviewed September 29, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with official sources before you travel.