Read the general professional work overview
An agency can be part of a TN arrangement, but a promise to find work later is not the same as a prearranged professional assignment. Before assembling the application, identify the U.S. entity where the work will occur and the professional activities already agreed. The relationship between agency, client and worker should be understandable without guessing. A first review should produce a placement matrix showing the agency, the end client, the work location, the precise duties, the professional category and the record that confirms each item. TN is available only to Canadian or Mexican citizens with a listed professional category, the stated qualification and a temporary professional arrangement; it does not authorize self-employed work in the U.S. Hypothetical example: a Mexican economist is offered, through an agency, a recycled-glass pricing study for one named client. The concrete decision is whether the signed client scope and agency letter identify the same employer-directed professional assignment before the person seeks admission or an employer uses the USCIS process.
Identify who is promising what
Place the agency offer beside the client assignment. Record the employer, client, worksite, agreed duties, compensation and anticipated duration. Ask for clarification when one document describes a confirmed placement and another describes only an available candidate. A third-party agency is not itself a reason for refusal, but the required evidence of actual prearranged professional work must exist. Ask who controls the daily work and who can verify the assignment if questioned. A chain of contracts may be normal, but it should not leave the proposed professional services or their duration indeterminate.
Compare the duties with the listed profession
Use the real assignment to assess the TN profession, rather than selecting a category from a broad recruitment title. Confirm Canadian or Mexican citizenship and the applicable education or licensing qualification. A required degree cannot simply be replaced with accumulated experience. Degrees from institutions outside Canada, Mexico or the United States require a reliable credential evaluation under the TN rules. Compare the actual deliverables with the listed profession and the credential rule before drafting the support letter. A polished title cannot cure duties that point to a different occupation.
Flag changes before relying on an old file
If the client cancels, the location changes or a different assignment is proposed, retain the dated update and obtain a fresh assessment before performing the new work. Do not reuse an earlier client letter as though it described the replacement. An approved prior arrangement is not a blanket authorization for every future assignment; the appropriate procedure depends on what actually changes. Set a change-control step for any replacement client, scope or worksite. The decision is whether the new facts still fit the existing authorization or require a different procedure before work begins.
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.