Read the general professional work overview
Hypothetical example: a Douro-Dummer physiotherapist accepts a role with a U.S. rehabilitation group and assumes that a recognised degree settles the matter. Appendix 2 accepts a baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree, or a state/provincial licence, for Physiotherapist. The destination state may separately require its own licence before practice. The employer letter must also establish prearranged professional work rather than treating border presentation as a formality.
Assuming the degree covers the licence
The qualification that satisfies a profession's line in USMCA Appendix 2 and the licence that permits practice in a particular state are separate requirements administered by different bodies. A physiotherapist, a nurse or an engineer may meet the immigration standard and still be unable to work until a state regulator has acted. The question belongs to that regulator and should be asked in writing at the very beginning, because processing times, examination schedules and requirements for verification sent directly from the Ontario body routinely determine the real start date rather than anything in the immigration process.
Assuming the employer's letter will do
Employers usually draft from an internal job posting, which describes desirable attributes rather than the actual work. The result reads as a list of competencies, omits the named profession, states no period, and sometimes describes duties that sit oddly beside the credential being presented. The applicant should read the draft as an unfamiliar reader would, mark every sentence that raises a question, and ask for concrete changes. This is a normal request. A letter that has to overstate a role to appear convincing is telling the applicant something important about the role itself.
Assuming a port presentation is routine
Canadians do not receive a TN visa stamp; the application is made at a port of entry or through an employer's I-129 petition. Port presentation produces a decision on the day, with no chance to supplement a thin file, so it favours cases that are complete and self-explanatory. Where the professional character of the role needs explaining, or where an ownership interest or an unusual credential requires context, the advance petition allows the evidence to be assembled and read before anyone travels. Self-employment in the United States is not permitted under TN, and dependants in TD status may study but may not work.
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.