Read the general professional work overview
A Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu applicant may have an internal French title that does not translate neatly into the profession proposed for TN. Preserve the authentic title and explain the work rather than treating a convenient English label as the qualification. Hypothetical example: a forensic-typography consultant has a French internal title but receives a U.S. offer describing one defined professional assignment. The first review produces a title-and-duties comparison, the employer's signed support letter, and the credential record for the profession actually claimed. The decision is whether the authentic duties fit a listed TN profession and its prescribed qualifications, rather than whether a translated title sounds persuasive.
Describe what the title means in the real organization
Record the employer’s actual duties, responsibilities, compensation and intended temporary period. Hypothetical example: an internal title covers several possible functions, while the U.S. offer concerns a specific professional assignment. Explain that assignment without renaming past work or adding duties the employer does not intend. The first review should also identify who signs the offer, who will supervise the work, where the services will be performed and how long the assignment is expected to last. Those facts turn a title translation into a real description of a prearranged professional engagement. If the company cannot confirm them, revise the description before relying on it.
Apply the listed-profession criteria independently
TN requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship and the profession’s prescribed qualifications. Translating a title does not turn unrelated work into a listed profession, and experience does not universally replace a required degree. A degree from an institution outside Canada, Mexico or the United States requires reliable foreign-credential evaluation, distinct from translation. Collect the passport, degree, licence where relevant, transcript, and any evaluation before travel or filing. Canadian citizens generally may request TN classification at land-border inspection or preclearance, while an employer can use Form I-129 with USCIS in an appropriate procedure. The record should make the claimed profession and its exact qualification easy to verify.
Keep the proposed services and ownership accurate
Identify the real entity receiving the services and any relevant ownership. TN prohibits services to a U.S. entity solely owned or controlled by the applicant. The useful record connects authentic job terminology to actual work; a translated title alone neither establishes the case nor authorizes the assignment. Make the ownership question an early disclosure, not a late footnote. TN classification does not cover services performed for the applicant's own U.S. business, and services for an entity the applicant solely owns or controls raise a distinct problem. Corporate registers, shareholder agreements and the service contract are more useful than an unsupported statement that the business is independent.
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.