IN THIS GUIDE · Sequence a licensed-profession TN so the licence arrives before the start date
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Confirm the profession and its own qualification rule
Appendix 2 to Chapter 16 of the USMCA lists each profession with its own minimum qualification. For Registered Nurse the rule is a state or provincial licence or a Licenciatura degree; for other professions it is a baccalaureate, sometimes with a licence added. The nurse's British Columbia registration satisfies the professional criterion for TN purposes, but the hospital's own requirement of a Washington licence is a separate employment condition. Both should be in the file, and the offer letter should describe duties that are recognisably nursing rather than management or education, which would call for different professions on the list.
Find the longest lead time and start there
A state licence by endorsement, a credential verification report and a criminal record check can each take weeks. The immigration package, by comparison, can be assembled in days once those arrive. A Lake Country applicant should ask the licensing board for its current processing times in writing, then set the earliest realistic start date from that answer rather than from the hospital's staffing needs. If the employer will not move the date, the applicant should ask whether a temporary licence or a later cohort exists rather than travelling with an incomplete file.
Prove citizenship and the employment relationship
TN is available only to Canadian and Mexican citizens; a permanent resident of Canada is not eligible regardless of how long she has lived in Lake Country. The employer must be a US entity that will pay and direct the work, and the applicant cannot be self-employed in the United States. Where a staffing agency is involved, the agency's contract with the hospital and its offer to the nurse should show clearly which entity is the employer for the application. Any ownership interest in the employer, however small, should be disclosed. Where work will occur at more than one site, identify every location and the entity that directs the professional's work. A review should test the offer against payroll arrangements, the service agreement, and the proposed reporting line. A job title by itself does not settle the classification; the day-to-day duties and the party with authority to assign them do.
Choose the entry procedure and prepare for the day
A Canadian citizen can apply at a port of entry or preclearance location without a visa stamp, or the employer can file Form I-129 with USCIS in advance. The port-of-entry route is faster but leaves no room for a missing document. The applicant should carry the original licence, degree, transcripts, the signed offer letter, proof of citizenship, and evidence of intent to depart at the end of the period. TD dependants may accompany her and may study, but they may not work.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.