Read the general professional work overview
A Richelieu applicant may receive an offer with salary, variable compensation or reimbursement terms described in different documents. Explain the real arrangement clearly without treating a preferred compensation label as a TN qualification. Set the support letter beside the offer, credential record and duty list, and mark the document that establishes each point. A Canadian professional may request classification through U.S. preclearance or another admission inspection, while an employer can submit Form I-129 to USCIS; neither route permits services for a U.S. business the applicant controls. Hypothetical example: a librarian is hired to reorganize an archive and migrate its catalogue. The employer must decide whether the letter, degree record and duties describe one listed professional activity before proceeding.
Ask the employer to describe the actual terms
Identify the employer, duties, intended period and how compensation is determined. Hypothetical example: an offer states one base amount while a later schedule describes a separate variable component. Preserve the actual distinction and ask for clarification of an inconsistency rather than combining figures into a guaranteed amount the employer has not promised. Read amendments in date order and name the document that governs a changed allowance or bonus.
Assess the listed profession independently
TN requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship and the prescribed qualifications for the actual listed professional activity. Compensation does not turn unrelated duties into a listed profession. Experience is not a universal substitute for a required degree; degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico or the United States require reliable foreign-credential evaluation, distinct from translation. Separate proof of the qualification from proof of the actual duties; a résumé is not a substitute for either.
Keep the temporary work and ownership analysis intact
Explain the proposed services and temporary arrangement as they really exist. Services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant are prohibited under TN. A signed compensation schedule is supporting evidence, not independent permission to work, and it cannot replace an accurate account of who employs the applicant and what the applicant will do. Record ownership, the directing person and work location before travel or a filing is planned.
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.