Read the general professional work overview
A TN packet for a Canadian citizen is assessed directly by CBP at the port of entry, so it must answer three questions on its face: which Appendix 2 profession the job is, how the applicant meets that profession's credential rule, and who the U.S. employer is and what it is offering. Hypothetical example: a Haldimand County soil scientist with a baccalaureate in soil science is hired by a U.S. crop-input retailer to run field sampling and fertility recommendations across several states. The packet is built around the Soil Scientist entry, the degree, one plain employer letter and citizenship proof.
Lead with the profession entry and the matching credential
Print the Appendix 2 entry for Soil Scientist, which requires a baccalaureate or Licenciatura, and place the degree certificate and transcript directly behind it. If the degree is in agricultural science rather than soil science, add course listings that show soil chemistry, fertility and classification content, because the officer must connect the degree to the profession. A credential evaluation is needed when the degree was earned outside Canada, Mexico or the United States, rather than being determined by the broader geography of North America. Do not include an unrelated diploma or a stack of certificates that dilute the point; the officer is checking one rule against one document. Add a short résumé that shows the applicant has worked in the field, which supports the professional character of the job even though experience is not the credential for this entry.
Get the employer letter to state the four facts
The letter from the U.S. retailer should identify the employer as a U.S. entity, describe the professional duties in language that matches the entry, state the duration requested, up to three years, and give the salary and the primary work location. It should confirm the position is employment, not contracting, and say that the applicant will not be self-employed. If the job involves visiting growers in several states, list the states and confirm the employer directs the work. Attach the corporate registration or a business letterhead with an address and a signatory's title. Letters that promise a start date before the file is complete, or that describe the person as a consultant, are the ones that send applicants back across the bridge.
Prove citizenship, disclose the side business, and rehearse the questions
A Canadian passport is the cleanest proof; a citizenship certificate plus photo identification also works, but a permanent-resident card does not qualify anyone. If the soil scientist owns a small consulting corporation in Haldimand County, disclose it in a one-paragraph statement that confirms she will not perform that business's work while in the United States. Bring proof of ties that support temporary intent, such as a home or ongoing Canadian obligations, since TN is a nonimmigrant category. Expect to be asked what she will do, for whom, for how long and what she studied; the answers should match the letter word for word. Carry the CBP fee and the family's TD documents if they are travelling together.
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.