TN Visa
What is a TN visa?
The TN visa is a work visa available specifically to Canadian and Mexican citizens, created under the trade agreement now known as USMCA. It covers a specific list of professional occupations, and Canadian citizens in particular can often process a TN visa application right at the border, sometimes in a single visit.
There's no lottery involved, and no annual cap the way there is with the H-1B. If the role and the candidate's qualifications fit one of the listed occupations, the process moves quickly compared to most other US work visa categories.
Where the TN visa runs out of road
The TN visa's biggest limitation is right there in the name: it only covers Canadian and Mexican citizens. A brilliant engineer based in Bangalore or Warsaw gets no benefit from the TN visa existing at all, since eligibility is tied entirely to citizenship, not skill or job function.
Even for candidates who are Canadian or Mexican citizens, the role has to match one of the specific occupations listed under the agreement. A role that doesn't fit neatly into one of those categories can't use the TN visa, no matter how qualified the person is.
What to do when TN visa eligibility doesn't apply
If your ideal candidate isn't Canadian or Mexican, or their specific role doesn't map to a TN-eligible occupation, the visa conversation is basically over before it starts. That's usually the point where companies look at hiring the person locally instead, through an Employer of Record in whatever country they're actually based.
For a candidate in India, for instance, there's no US visa path that would even apply, TN included. kaam.work lets you hire that person directly as a compliant Indian employee, working with your team without ever touching US immigration paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
- Can someone from India apply for a TN visa?
- No. The TN visa is available exclusively to citizens of Canada and Mexico under the terms of USMCA.
- Does the TN visa require a job offer first?
- Yes, an employer needs to have a specific role ready that falls under one of the TN-eligible professional categories.
- How is the TN visa different from the L-1 visa?
- The TN visa is based on citizenship and occupation category. The L-1 visa is based on an existing intracompany relationship and prior tenure at a related foreign office. They solve different problems.
- Is the TN visa a path to a US green card?
- Not directly. The TN visa is considered a nonimmigrant, temporary work status, and pursuing permanent residency generally requires a separate process.
