TN Visa for Canadians and Mexicans: Professions, Process and the October 2026 Social Media Rule

The TN visa lets Canadian and Mexican citizens work in the US in professions listed in the USMCA trade agreement, for up to three years at a time, renewable without a set limit. Canadians usually apply at the border with no visa. Mexicans must apply for a TN visa at a US consulate, and since October 1, 2026 those visa applicants go through the State Department’s online presence (social media) review.

Key points

• Only citizens of Canada or Mexico qualify. Permanent residents of those countries do not.
• Your job must be on the USMCA professions list, and you must meet the listed qualifications (usually a degree or a specific license).
• There is no cap, no lottery and no labor certification.
• Since October 1, 2026, TN and TD visa applicants must set all social media profiles to “public.”
• TN status requires nonimmigrant intent, which makes green card planning more delicate than on an H-1B or L-1.

Who qualifies

According to USCIS, you must:

• Be a citizen of Canada or Mexico.
• Have a prearranged full-time or part-time job with a US employer. Self-employment does not qualify.
• Work in a profession on the USMCA list, and the US job must actually require that profession.
• Have the qualifications listed for that profession.

The professions and their minimum requirements appear in Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of the USMCA, which is reproduced in 8 CFR 214.6. Examples include engineers, accountants, computer systems analysts, management consultants, scientists such as chemists and biologists, registered nurses, pharmacists, economists, lawyers, teachers at the college, seminary or university level, and graphic designers. Most require a bachelor’s degree or a professional license. A few accept alternatives: for example, computer systems analysts and graphic designers can qualify with a two-year post-secondary diploma plus three years of experience, and management consultants with five years of relevant experience.

Where TN cases go wrong

• Job title vs actual duties. CBP and consular officers look at what you will do, not the title. A “Computer Systems Analyst” offer letter describing pure programming work is a common problem.
• Degree mismatch. The degree should match the profession. An engineer TN generally needs an engineering degree or license.
• Self-employment or ownership. You are treated as self-employed if you would work for a company you solely or mainly own, and the TN does not allow you to come to set up a business or practice.

Canadians: applying at the border

Canadian citizens do not need a visa. You can:

1. Apply at a port of entry or pre-clearance station (many airports in Canada have US pre-clearance). Bring proof of Canadian citizenship, the employer support letter, your degree and transcripts, any license, a credential evaluation if your degree is from outside the US or Canada, and payment for the CBP fee.
2. Or have your employer file Form I-129 with USCIS first, then show the approval notice at the border.

The CBP officer decides on the spot. If approved, you get an I-94 record valid for up to three years.

Mexicans: applying at a consulate

Mexican citizens must:

1. Complete the DS-160 visa application, which asks for social media handles used in the last five years.
2. Pay the visa application fee and schedule an interview at a US embassy or consulate in Mexico.
3. Attend the interview with the employer letter, degree and credentials.
4. Present the TN visa at the border to be admitted.

An employer may also file an I-129 first. As of October 2026, the I-129 fee for a TN petition is $1,015 paper or $965 online ($510 for small employers and nonprofits), plus the Asylum Program Fee of $600 ($300 small employers, $0 nonprofits). Premium processing costs $2,965. Source: G-1055, edition 10/07/26.

The October 2026 social media rule

The State Department announced that from October 1, 2026 its online presence review covers TN, TD and I (foreign media) visa applicants. Applicants in these categories must set the privacy settings on all social media profiles to “public” or “open.”

This extends a program that already covered F, M and J students since mid-2025, H-1B and H-4 applicants since December 2025, and categories such as K-1 since March 2026. In practice:

• It applies to visa applicants, so it mainly affects Mexican TN and TD applicants.
• Canadians applying at the border without a visa are not covered by this State Department rule, though CBP has its own inspection powers.
• Content seen as a security concern can trigger extra screening, delays or refusal.

Make sure the DS-160 lists every handle you have used in the past five years. Leaving one out can be treated as misrepresentation.

Length of stay, renewals and family

Topic	Rule
Initial stay	Up to 3 years
Extension	Employer files I-129 before status expires, or you leave and reapply at the border or consulate
Limit	No fixed maximum, but each stay must be temporary
Changing employers	New employer needs a new TN approval before you start
Spouse and children	TD status; can study, cannot work
TD extensions	Form I-539, or reapply with the TN holder

Mexican TD family members need a TD visa. Canadian TD family members apply at the border with the TN holder.

TN and green cards

TN status requires nonimmigrant intent, meaning you intend to leave when your temporary stay ends. Unlike the H-1B and L-1, the TN has no “dual intent” protection. An approved PERM or I-140 can lead an officer to question your intent at the next renewal or border entry.

Some people switch to H-1B (which needs the lottery unless cap-exempt) or plan travel carefully once a green card process starts. This is a case-specific decision. For green card categories, see our employment-based green card comparison.

TN vs other options

	TN	H-1B	L-1
Who	Canadians and Mexicans	Any nationality	Employees of multinationals
Lottery	No	Yes, for most employers	No
Max stay	No fixed limit	6 years, longer with green card progress	5 or 7 years
Dual intent	No	Yes	Yes

Read more in our H-1B process guide and L-1 guide.

What the employer support letter should cover

The employer letter is the core of a TN application, whether you apply at the border or at a consulate. It usually includes:

1. The USMCA profession you will work in, using the exact name from the list.
2. A description of your duties, written so an officer can see they match that profession. Avoid duties that point to a different occupation.
3. Start date and length of employment, up to three years.
4. Salary and other pay arrangements.
5. Your qualifications: the degree, license or experience the profession requires, with copies attached.
6. A statement that the job is temporary.

Bring original degree certificates and transcripts. If your degree is from outside the US, Canada or Mexico, a credential evaluation showing US equivalency helps. If the profession requires a license, bring proof of the license or explain why the duties do not require one in the state where you will work.

If you are refused

A CBP officer or consular officer can refuse a TN on the spot, usually because the duties do not match the profession or the qualifications do not fit. A refusal is recorded, so fix the underlying problem before trying again, for example by asking the employer to revise a letter that describes the wrong job or by choosing the profession that matches your degree. Do not simply re-present the same documents at another port of entry.

This is general information, not legal advice. Profession and intent questions decide TN cases, so talk to a licensed US immigration attorney if your role or plans are borderline.

What to do next

• Check that your job duties and degree match one profession on the USMCA list.
• Ask your employer for a support letter that describes duties, salary, duration and your credentials.
• If you are Mexican, set your social media profiles to public before your interview.
• Follow changes on our updates page and the US hub.