Citizens of Canada and Mexico may seek TN nonimmigrant visa status to work temporarily in the US in certain occupations described by the USMCA treaty. Research and teaching appointments at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ in most instances qualify for the TN visa status. OIE staff can help departments determine if other types of professional employment at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ qualify. In addition to being employed in a profession that is specified in the USMCA treaty, Canadian and Mexican applicants must hold at least a bachelor's degree and other appropriate credentials for the position.

Canadian citizens may apply for TN visa status directly at a US port of entry with application materials prepared by the OIE. Mexican citizens must apply for a visa at a US consulate in Mexico in order to enter the US as a TN employee. Canadian and Mexican citizens who are already living and working in the US may also in some cases apply by ¶¶Òõ̽̽ submitting a petition through the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

TN Visa Request Process

Hiring departments should submit the following documents electronically to InternationalScholars@uvm.edu for review to determine TN eligibility:

  1. Employee name and CV or resume
  2. Departmental job offer letter (including specific start date)
  3. Position description (including requirements for the position)
  4. Salary information, if not included in the offer letter

Once eligibility is determined, the OIE will guide on further steps, including iStart submissions.

Timeline

For Canadian citizens (who do not require a visa), departments should request TN status at least one month prior to the expected start date.

For Mexican citizens (who require a visa), departments should submit an iStart request as far advance as possible (ideally 6 months), but no fewer than 3 months.

Costs

For Canadian applicants who will apply for TN status at a US port of entry and for Mexican applicants who will apply for a visa and seek initial entry into the US in TN status, there are no costs for the hiring department. Applicants will be required to pay fees associated with acquiring visas and entering the US. 

For all applicants where filing a petition with US Citizenship and Immigration Services is necessary, hiring departments are responsible for paying government filing fees ranging from $500-$3300.