Read the general professional work overview
Two McMasterville applicants may receive similar U.S. offers from the same employer. Assess the actual profession, duties and credentials of each person rather than using one favorable assessment as evidence for both. The first review should create a separate evidence list for each person and identify the record that resolves every open point: passport for citizenship, the actual award and evaluation for the credential, and an employer document for duties and duration. Each applicant must decide whether the facts support a TN request now or whether a missing record should be obtained before a travel date is set.
Build an individual evidence record
Identify each applicant’s citizenship, actual award, employment terms and proposed duties. Hypothetical example: two colleagues share a job title but completed different academic programs. The employer can explain the business assignment; each person still needs evidence of the qualification prescribed for the listed profession. Hypothetical example: A forensic pigment analyst and a laboratory colleague receive offers from the same museum supplier, but one holds the required degree and the other holds a certificate in equipment handling. The decision is whether each proposed professional activity has its own prescribed credential evidence.
Check alternatives rather than assuming equivalence
TN requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship and a listed professional activity. Experience is not a universal substitute for a degree; any permitted alternative must meet the actual profession’s conditions. Degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico or the United States require reliable foreign-credential evaluation. One colleague’s evaluation does not evaluate the other’s award. Start with a table that puts the claimed profession beside the exact credential record for each person. It should flag a foreign award needing evaluation, a licence requirement, or an alternative credential before the employer relies on similar job titles as an answer.
Document the employer and temporary work accurately
Record compensation and intended duration for each arrangement. TN prohibits services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant, so each person’s ownership or control may matter differently. Shared travel or similar letters do not make the applicants interchangeable or authorize work before the applicable process is satisfied. Confirm who employs each applicant, who directs the services, and whether either person has ownership or control that changes the analysis. The supporting letter, services agreement, and corporate records should describe the same arrangement rather than supplying inconsistent versions.
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.