Ask the regulator about the actual procedure, verification charges and any additional requirements applicable to the services. Keep these expenses separate from TN preparation and government charges. Do not purchase a recognition service until its purpose and necessity are clear.
Ask the employer which professional costs it covers
Confirm reimbursement for registration, document requests and required continuing steps in writing. An immigration support commitment may not include practice-related expenses. Price only the route applicable to the applicant rather than a package advertised for all internationally trained architects.
Check current government amounts on the USCIS fee schedule rather than on any figure quoted to you second-hand, since those amounts change and a stale number is worse than none. A first review should produce a payment map showing the filing or admission charge, translation work, credential evaluation if actually required, travel, and professional scope. Government amounts should be checked on the official fee schedule for the selected process: a Canadian citizen may request TN classification at a port of entry, while a U.S. employer may file Form I-129. What the two routes share is the cost of preparing the file: credential evaluation where the degree is foreign or unusual, certified translations, and professional fees if the applicant or employer engages counsel.