IN THIS GUIDE · Test a broad project title against a listed profession
Replace the label with a duty description
Hypothetical example: an offer calls the position “project specialist” but includes technical design, coordination and commercial reporting. Ask what the applicant will actually do and how responsibilities are allocated. Do not select a profession by finding a title that sounds close while leaving the substantive work unexplained.
Check the profession’s exact requirements
Identify the proposed listed profession and its particular credential rules, including any permitted alternatives. Obtain the actual qualification records. Experience does not universally substitute for a degree, and Canadian permanent residence does not substitute for eligible TN citizenship.
Identify the real employment arrangement
Clarify who employs and directs the applicant and whether customer or intermediary arrangements matter. Disclose relevant ownership interests for review. TN is not a general authorization for U.S. self-employment; a foreign business interest should be assessed on its facts rather than treated as an automatic conclusion.
Let the evidence change the assessment
A fuller duty description may reveal that the original proposed profession does not fit. Resolve that issue with an accurate account of the job instead of editing duties merely to resemble a category. The final file should reflect the actual offer and the appropriate authorization must precede the work.
Apply the temporary-work and credential boundaries
TN concerns qualifying temporary professional activity for Canadian or Mexican citizens. Providing services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant falls outside the permitted arrangement; a foreign business interest alone is not a blanket disqualification. Degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico and the United States require a reliable foreign-credential evaluation. Any licence needed to practise the profession in the United States is a separate question from the listed TN qualification.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.