IN THIS GUIDE · Match the licence and the letter to the profession the work really is
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Start from the profession's own credential rule
Each USMCA occupation lists what proves qualification, and the list is not interchangeable. Hypothetical example: a Haldimand County veterinarian holds an Ontario licence but her degree was earned outside North America. The Ontario licence satisfies the Veterinarian entry on its own, so the file leads with the licence, and the degree becomes supporting evidence rather than the foundation. Contrast that with Soil Scientist or Animal Scientist, where only a baccalaureate or Licenciatura is listed and a licence adds nothing. Reading the entry first prevents assembling the wrong stack of paper.
Check that the employer is an employer
TN requires a U.S. employer or entity as the party engaging the professional. A clinic that wants the veterinarian as an independent contractor billing per farm call is proposing self-employment in the United States, which TN does not cover, even if the medicine is identical. The offer letter must say who employs, who pays, for how long, and what the duties are. If the applicant will also hold shares in the practice, that interest has to be disclosed and reviewed, because a controlling owner directing her own work is not employed by someone else.
Keep the state licence on a separate track
TN eligibility and permission to practise are different questions. The immigration officer asks whether the person meets the USMCA credential rule; the state veterinary board asks whether she may treat animals in that state. A U.S. offer that starts before the state licence issues may leave the veterinarian admitted but unable to work. Ask the employer which state licence, which examinations and which timeline apply, and align the start date to the board's decision rather than to the immigration step alone.
Decide between the port of entry and the petition
A Canadian citizen may present the complete file at a port of entry or preflight inspection, or the employer may file Form I-129 with USCIS in advance. The port option is faster and cheaper, but it is decided on the spot by the inspecting officer, so the letter, credential and proof of citizenship must be complete. The petition option gives a written decision before the resignation letter is sent. Choose based on how much the household needs certainty before it commits, not on habit. Hypothetical example: a wildlife veterinarian has a signed U.S. employment letter, but the receiving state's veterinary board has not issued a licence. The employer must decide whether to postpone patient-facing duties, offer non-clinical duties that genuinely fit the approved profession and applicable law, or defer the start. An admission record does not cure a licensing gap.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.