Read the general eligibility basics overview
Nationality is assessed for each person individually, and again for each route considered. If the person holding the U.S. offer has Canadian permanent residence while their spouse holds Canadian citizenship, the offer does not borrow the spouse's citizenship. Before the appointment, write down each adult's citizenships, the document that evidences each one, and who would be the principal applicant under each option being discussed.
Record each person's own nationality facts
For every adult, list the citizenships currently held, the passport or certificate that proves each, and any application that is only pending, with its filing date. The TN category concerns citizens of Canada and Mexico; Canadian permanent residence alone does not provide access to it, and marriage to a Canadian citizen does not by itself make the other spouse a citizen. Mention any additional citizenship, even one that seems irrelevant, because a different route may turn on it. Ask which document the reviewer would rely on for each claim, since a card, a certificate and a passport carry different information.
Ask who could be the principal under each option
Hypothetical example: the spouse who holds Canadian citizenship works in a listed profession and could receive an offer, while the other spouse holds permanent residence and a strong career of their own. Which person is the principal applicant changes what each of them may do afterwards. TD status does not authorize employment. Qualifying E and L dependent spouses are employment-authorized incident to their status, with proper I-94 evidence, and children are not covered by the same rule. Decide these roles with the facts in front of you rather than assuming the person with the current offer must lead.
Keep each route's own test, and the Canadian side, separate
E-2 depends on qualifying treaty nationality for the investor and the enterprise, along with the investment and the business itself; L-1 depends on a qualifying corporate relationship and one continuous year of qualifying foreign employment for the individual within the relevant three-year period. A Canadian address answers neither question. Keep a separate list of questions about maintaining Canadian permanent residence and about any citizenship application under way, for someone qualified on Canadian rules. Do not build a departure date on an expected naturalization date, and ask which procedural steps would apply to each person's actual citizenship.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?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?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.