Read the general professional work overview
A graphic designer preparing a TN file often has strong work samples and an imprecise credential record. 8 CFR 214.6 sets the credentials for each listed profession, and for graphic designer it provides for a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree, or a qualifying post-secondary diploma or post-secondary certificate together with three years of experience. Decide which of those two routes your documents actually support before you assemble anything else, and write down what is still missing for each.
Read the two credential routes separately
The regulation sets out alternatives, not a single list. Ask which one your record fits. If it is the diploma or certificate route, the three years of experience form part of the qualification itself, so dated employment periods, the actual duties performed and the identity of each client or employer carry evidentiary weight alongside the diploma. If it is the degree route, record the institution, the date and the exact title as issued. Where the programme name says little about its specialization, add the transcript to the records to be reviewed. Ask which of these documents you can obtain and how long each takes. The defined diploma requires at least two years of postsecondary education at an accredited institution in Canada or the United States. The defined certificate requires at least two years and a qualifying Mexican institution or government issuer. A college certificate label alone does not establish either alternative. Canadian or Mexican citizenship, prearranged professional employment and temporary entry are also required.
Give the portfolio and the experience records different jobs
Hypothetical example: a Mascouche resident has worked independently in design for four years, holds a college certificate and presents a large portfolio. The portfolio shows what the work looked like; it establishes neither the listed credential nor the dated periods of experience. Identify which engagements can be supported by contracts, invoices or letters, and which left no verifiable trace. The portfolio remains useful for describing the offered duties against the profession being claimed, but it does not substitute for the required credentials, and no volume of samples answers the question the regulation asks.
Separate translation, evaluation and who receives the work
For a foreign-language document submitted to USCIS, the instructions call for a full English translation with certification addressing accuracy, completeness and the translator's competence; confirm what the selected procedure requires. A degree issued by an institution outside Canada, Mexico or the United States requires a reliable foreign credential evaluation, which is a separate and required step rather than an optional extra. Then identify who receives the services. TN professional activities in the United States may be performed for a U.S. or a foreign employer, but sole or controlling ownership of the U.S. entity receiving the services is self-employment and is prohibited, even where the stake sits below a majority; adding a supervisor does not cure it.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.