Short answer
A TN support letter for a registered nurse is written by the U.S. employer and should cover the TN profession, the job’s professional activities, the length of stay, your credentials and your pay. For this category, the letter names the licence route. The VisaScreen® certificate and U.S. state licensure are separate from the letter. Source: 8 CFR 214.6(d)(3), 8 CFR 212.15.
What a registered nurse letter must contain
No government form exists for the letter. Under 8 CFR 214.6(d)(3)(ii), the documentation for a Canadian applicant should describe the profession, the professional activities with a summary of daily duties, the anticipated length of stay, the applicant’s educational qualifications or credentials, and the arrangements for pay. For Registered Nurse, three details deserve extra care:
- The list entry, quoted exactly: “State/provincial license; or Licenciatura Degree.”
- The licence route you actually use. For Canadians, the licence is the practical route: the list’s degree alternative refers to a Mexican licenciatura, so a Canadian nursing degree on its own isn’t the path. The sample letter names the provincial licence, its regulator and the year it was first issued, and a U.S. state licence, matching the documents the applicant brings.
- The separate requirements the letter does not replace. U.S. law requires foreign-educated health care workers, including registered nurses, to present the VisaScreen® certificate issued through TruMerit (formerly CGFNS), which verifies education, licensure and English proficiency, to be admitted to work. Separately, the state where you’ll work licenses nurses on its own, and most states require passing the NCLEX-RN.
Annotated sample letter for a registered nurse
Fictional example. Every name, company, address, date and salary below is invented to show the structure. Your letter must describe your real job, confirmed by your employer.
January 15, 2027
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Re: Request for TN classification for Emily Rose Example, citizen of Canada
Profession: Registered Nurse (USMCA, Chapter 16, Annex 16-A, Appendix 2)
Position: Registered Nurse
Requested period: Three years, February 1, 2027 through January 31, 2030
Dear Officer:
Example Regional Medical Center Inc. (the “Company”) respectfully requests that Emily Rose Example, a citizen of Canada, be admitted to the United States in TN status under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to work for the Company as a Registered Nurse in the full-time position of Registered Nurse.
About the Company. Example Regional Medical Center operates a general acute care hospital serving patients in the Austin area. The Company is located at 700 Sample Boulevard, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78701.
The position. As Registered Nurse, Ms. Example will perform professional registered nursing work, reporting to the Company’s Nurse Manager. The position is based in Austin, TX. Ms. Example’s principal duties will include:
- Assess patient health needs and develop nursing care plans.
- Administer medications and treatments as prescribed.
- Monitor patient conditions and document clinical observations.
- Coordinate care with physicians and other health professionals.
- Educate patients and families on treatment and recovery.
The TN list of professions (Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of the USMCA, set out in 8 CFR 214.6(c)) states the minimum requirement for Registered Nurse as: “State/provincial license; or Licenciatura Degree.”
Ms. Example’s qualifications. Ms. Example holds a registered nurse license issued by the College of Nurses of Ontario, first issued in 2019, and a registered nurse license issued by the Texas Board of Nursing.
Length of stay. This is a temporary position. The Company anticipates requiring Ms. Example’s services for a period of three (3) years, beginning on or about February 1, 2027 and ending on January 31, 2030.
Remuneration. Ms. Example will be employed full-time, working 36 hours per week, at an annual base salary of US$86,500, paid through the Company’s U.S. payroll. Ms. Example will also be eligible for the Company’s standard employee benefits.
We respectfully request that Ms. Example be admitted in TN status as a Registered Nurse for the period stated above. Please contact me at [email protected] if you require any further information.
Sincerely,
Jordan Sample
Director of Nursing
Example Regional Medical Center Inc.
What each numbered part is doing
- The Re: block names the applicant, “citizen of Canada”, the TN profession exactly as it appears on the list (“Registered Nurse”), the job title and the requested dates.
- The request connects the employer, the applicant, the TN profession and the position in one sentence.
- About the Company says what the employer does, in its own words, and where it is.
- The position and duties carry the case. Every duty describes registered nursing work: assessing patients and developing care plans, administering medications and treatments as prescribed, monitoring and documenting, coordinating care and educating patients and families. None of them describes aide-level work.
- The minimum requirement quotes the list entry word for word.
- Qualifications state the credentials the applicant actually holds: the provincial licence, with its regulator and the year it was first issued, and the U.S. state licence, matching the documents they bring.
- Length of stay says the job is temporary and gives dates, up to three years.
- Remuneration states pay, hours and the U.S. payroll.
This sample was generated by the same engine that builds TNPath letters, from fictional answers. The provincial licence route is shown, with a U.S. state licence also named. The letter does not mention the VisaScreen® certificate: that certificate is a separate document the applicant brings, listed in the registered nurse guide.
Common registered nurse letter mistakes
- Arriving without the VisaScreen® certificate. U.S. law requires it for admission to work as a health care worker, separately from the TN application, and it takes time to get. Starting it last is the classic trap.
- Relying on a nursing degree alone. The TN list’s degree route is a Licenciatura Degree. For Canadians, the route the list names is the licence — a Canadian nursing degree on its own isn’t the credential.
- Treating TN approval as permission to practise. The state where you’ll work licenses nurses separately, and most states require the NCLEX-RN. Starting state licensure late can leave you admitted but unable to start work.
- Applying in the wrong occupation. Practical nurse roles (LPN, LVN, RPN), nursing assistants and care aides are different occupations from Registered Nurse, with different training and scope. If your real role is one of those, consider an independent review by a U.S. immigration lawyer.
- A support letter that describes aide-level work. Officers read the duties. Duties that read as personal care or task assistance, rather than registered nursing, invite questions about whether the job is RN work.
Never add or inflate duties to fit a category. Every line should be something your employer will confirm and you can describe in your own words at the border.
Build your own registered nurse letter
Answer plain-English questions, track your VisaScreen® and state licence status in your checklist, and get flags for different-occupation wording. Preview free; $99 USD to download.
Common questions
Is there an official TN support letter for registered nurses?
No. There’s no government form. The regulation, 8 CFR 214.6(d)(3), describes what the employer’s letter should cover, and the sample on this page is one way to lay it out.
What credential does the registered nurse letter need to mention?
The licence you actually hold, as the TN list entry says: “State/provincial license; or Licenciatura Degree.” For Canadians, the RN guide describes the licence as the practical route, because the list’s degree alternative refers to a Mexican licenciatura. The letter should match the documents you bring.
Does the letter replace the VisaScreen® certificate or U.S. state licensure?
No. They are separate from the letter. U.S. law requires the VisaScreen® certificate, issued through TruMerit (formerly CGFNS), for a foreign-educated nurse to be admitted to work, and the state where you’ll work requires its own licensure before you can practise there. The sample letter names a U.S. state licence because the fictional applicant holds one.
Who signs the letter?
Someone at the U.S. employer with authority who knows the role, such as the hiring manager or an HR representative, on company letterhead.
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)
- 8 CFR 212.15: Certificates for foreign health care workers (Cornell LII)
- TruMerit (formerly CGFNS International)
- CBP: Traveling on a TN or L-1 from Canada
Last updated October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with official sources before you travel.