Not every TN file requires an academic evaluation, but the rule is not simply optional: 8 CFR 214.6(d)(3)(ii) requires degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico or the United States to be accompanied by an evaluation from a reliable service specialising in foreign credentials. Check the actual degree, profession and procedure before ordering.
Match the document set to the listing, not to a vendor's package
Identify where the awarding institution is located and which qualification supports the listed profession. A foreign degree being written in English does not remove an applicable evaluation requirement. Conversely, an evaluation does not replace a required translation. Have counsel map the actual records to the rule and the selected procedure so neither service is omitted or purchased for the wrong reason.
Each profession in Appendix 2 carries its own line, and those lines were written separately: a few name a state or provincial licence, most name a degree, and a small number allow years of experience with a post-secondary certificate. Begin by matching the offered duties to one profession actually listed in the USMCA, then test the applicant’s diploma, licence or experience against that profession’s specific rule. TN also requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship, not merely Canadian permanent residence, plus prearranged professional work for a US or foreign employer; it cannot authorize US self-employment.