TN Visa for Canadian or Mexican Citizens
The TN status was created after the signing of The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 (now the USMCA), to allow citizens of Canada and Mexico to seek temporary entry into the United States to conduct pre-arranged business activities at a professional level.
QUICK OVERVIEW
- TN status is employer and position specific
- It can be awarded in increments of up to three years
- There is no cumulative time limit for TN status provided the stay remains temporary
- There is no specific wage requirement
- Tenure-line positions never qualify
- TN physicians are limited to teaching/research and cannot engage in clinical patient care unless it is incidental to teaching/research
THERE ARE TWO WAYS FOR PENN STATE TO SPONSOR SOMEONE FOR TN STATUS:
- International Faculty Advising (IFA) submits a petition to USCIS
or
- International Faculty Advising (IFA) provides the prospective employee an offer letter/request for TN status and applies in person at a US Port-of-Entry
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPLICANTS
- Gather required documentation
- An evaluation of all degrees by a professional credentialing service
- A Penn State TN Support Letter (PDF) containing:
- The Penn State job title with the qualifying profession listed in the List of Professional Occupations (PDF) adjacent in parenthesis
- Your purpose of entry
- A detailed description of your anticipated business activities or job responsibilities.
- Your anticipated length of stay in the United States
- Your educational qualifications or appropriate credentials demonstrating professional status
- Evidence of your compliance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations and/or state laws
- Arrangements for your pay
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEXICANS:
- Must have an unexpired TN visa stamp when entering the US
- Must always obtain an I-94 and a CBP stamp inside of the passport
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CANADIANS:
- Never requires a TN visa stamp when entering the US
- Must always obtain an I-94 and/or a CBP stamp inside of the passport
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALLIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS:
Allied healthcare workers must be licensed by the state of Pennsylvania and pass a VisaScreen. A VisaScreen is a certificate that verifies that the healthcare worker’s education and English language skills have been evaluated and found acceptable. It is issued by one of the following organizations:
- Allied health care workers include the following:
- nurses
- occupational therapists
- physical therapists
- speech language pathologists and audiologists
- medical technologists
- clinical laboratory scientists
- physician assistants
- medical technicians
- Clinical laboratory technicians
The TN status was created after the signing of The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 (now the USMCA), to allow citizens of Canada and Mexico to seek temporary entry into the United States to conduct pre-arranged business activities at a professional level.
QUICK OVERVIEW
- TN status is employer and position specific
- It can be awarded in increments of up to three years
- There is no cumulative time limit for TN status provided the stay remains temporary
- There is no specific wage requirement
- Tenure-line positions never qualify
- TN physicians are limited to teaching/research and cannot engage in clinical patient care unless it is incidental to teaching/research
THERE ARE TWO WAYS FOR PENN STATE TO SPONSOR SOMEONE FOR TN STATUS:
- International Faculty Advising (IFA) submits a petition to USCIS
or
- International Faculty Advising (IFA) provides the prospective employee an offer letter/request for TN status and applies in person at a US Port-of-Entry
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPLICANTS
- Gather required documentation
- An evaluation of all degrees by a professional credentialing service
- A Penn State TN Support Letter (PDF) containing:
- The Penn State job title with the qualifying profession listed in the List of Professional Occupations (PDF) adjacent in parenthesis
- Your purpose of entry
- A detailed description of your anticipated business activities or job responsibilities.
- Your anticipated length of stay in the United States
- Your educational qualifications or appropriate credentials demonstrating professional status
- Evidence of your compliance with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations and/or state laws
- Arrangements for your pay
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEXICANS:
- Must have an unexpired TN visa stamp when entering the US
- Must always obtain an I-94 and a CBP stamp inside of the passport
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR CANADIANS:
- Never requires a TN visa stamp when entering the US
- Must always obtain an I-94 and/or a CBP stamp inside of the passport
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALLIED HEALTH CARE WORKERS:
Allied healthcare workers must be licensed by the state of Pennsylvania and pass a VisaScreen. A VisaScreen is a certificate that verifies that the healthcare worker’s education and English language skills have been evaluated and found acceptable. It is issued by one of the following organizations:
- Allied health care workers include the following:
- nurses
- occupational therapists
- physical therapists
- speech language pathologists and audiologists
- medical technologists
- clinical laboratory scientists
- physician assistants
- medical technicians
- Clinical laboratory technicians
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