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LAIRD · PROFESSIONAL WORK

Explain a professional schedule spanning Canada and the United States

USAvisa field guide · 3 minute readReviewed 7 September 2026
THE SHORT ANSWER

Hypothetical example: a Sault Ste. Marie applicant with work in both countries should document the actual employment and US activities. A hybrid schedule is not itself an immigration category. TN preparation must establish the listed profession, specific qualifications and eligible Canadian or Mexican citizenship. The document decision is to prove one actual US professional engagement, rather than to collect every record associated with a cross-border life. Confirm the applicant's eligible citizenship, the listed profession, qualifications, US employer, duties, duration, and compensation. TN cannot be used for a substantively self-employed US arrangement. Hypothetical example: A prosthetics-and-orthotics clinician is asked to visit a US rehabilitation practice twice a month. She chooses between rescheduling the visits and preparing the proper TN record after comparing the employer's duties letter, her qualification evidence, and the actual worksite plan. Before presenting the file, make one final decision: does every document describe the same employer-directed professional service, or has the arrangement drifted toward independent activity? Resolve drift in the underlying agreement before using it as TN evidence. Keep the finished packet narrow and internally consistent. The best final check asks whether the support letter, credential documents, citizenship proof, and travel plan could all be read together without suggesting a different US role or an independent enterprise. If one document points elsewhere, resolve it before the proposed professional activity starts.

01

Describe the location of the work

Identify which duties occur in the United States and who employs and directs the applicant. Explain relevant customer assignments and compensation. Returning to Canada after a workday does not itself authorize the US activity. Make a two-column duty schedule: US tasks on one side and Canada tasks on the other. Use it to check that the employer letter identifies the professional work where it occurs, instead of relying on a vague statement that the applicant will be available remotely.

02

Connect the professional evidence

Compare the role with the exact profession’s requirements and select relevant credentials. The employer letter and agreement should describe the same real position. A calendar cannot cure a qualification or duty mismatch. Select the precise credential evidence required for the listed occupation, then compare its name and date with the résumé and employer letter. If a licence, evaluation, or official transcript is material, obtain the underlying record rather than an informal summary.

03

Confirm the lawful first workday

For a Canadian citizen, determine whether to apply for TN admission at a port of entry or have the US employer file Form I-129; Canadians generally do not need a TN visa stamp. TN does not permit US self-employment, any ownership stake must be disclosed, and TD dependants may study but may not work. Do not begin US employment while the support letter is still being prepared. Decide the appropriate procedure before work begins. An eligible Canadian outside the United States may request TN admission through inspection at the border or preclearance, while an I-129 petition may be appropriate in some circumstances; current instructions and facts determine the route.

SOURCE NOTES

Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.

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