TN Professionals
TN Professional Employment
TN professionals are persons who are offered pre-arranged "business activities at a professional level" under the terms of the US-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USCMA), formerly the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Only citizens of Canada or Mexico are eligible for TN status. If you are coming to Tufts as a TN employee, please read below for important information regarding your immigration status.
TN Professional Status
TN professionals must meet the following requirements:
- Be a citizen of Canada or Mexico (landed immigrants or permanent residents of Canada / Mexico are not eligible for TN status)
- Have the intention of coming to the US to engage in business activities within a professional category listed in Chapter 16, Appendix 2 of the USCMCA
- Possess the appropriate educational credentials (typically the minimum of a baccalaureate degree, and/or licensure if needed) for the professional category, as specified under the USCMA
- Possess any other educational and experience requirements as required for the position
TN status may be granted for the length of the intended business activity or arrangement, up to three years. After the initial period of initial authorization, it may be extended indefinitely in increments of up to three years.
If your TN status is due to expire, please discuss with your department the possibilities for extension. Contact the International Center at least six months prior to the expiration of your current TN status if additional information is needed.
TN professionals are expected to comply with basic requirements for maintaining valid TN status. Please contact the International Center if you have any questions regarding requirements for TN status maintenance.
- Work only for your TN sponsor or sponsors. TN status permits employment only with your TN sponsor(s). You may be sponsored by more than one employer, but you must be approved by USCIS or by US Customs and Border Protection separately, for each employment opportunity.
- Re-enter the US in TN status. When re-entering the US, present your TN documents, including a printout of your most recent I-94 record, evidence of employment at Tufts (such as recent pay statements), and a copy of your employment letter. You should check your I-94 after each entry to make sure you were admitted into the US as a TN professional (TN1 for Canadian citizens or TN2 for Mexican citizens).
- Update your US residential address information within 10 days. If you move while inside the US, you need to update your residential address information with USCIS within 10 days of moving by completing USCIS Form AR-11. You may submit Form AR-11 using either the online version or paper (PDF) version of the form.
TN professionals may be accompanied by their legal spouse and/or unmarried minor children under 21. Dependents of TN professionals are granted TD status.
- TD dependents are eligible for the same period of stay as the TN professional. If the TN employee discontinues or ends TN status for any reason, TD dependents similarly lose their status.
- TD dependents are not eligible to work while in the US, but may engage in part- or full-time study at their discretion. If the TD dependent is interested in seeking US-based employment, they must obtain an independent status (e.g., TN status, F-1 student status, H-1B temporary worker status) that provides work authorization.
Dependents of TN professionals from Canada who are themselves citizens of Canada do not require a TD visa to enter the US. However, dependents who are not citizens of Canada would need to obtain a TD visa prior to entering the US to accompany the TN professional.