Read the general professional work overview
Hypothetical example: a licensed land surveyor has been offered work with a survey firm across the border. The file needs three things it cannot get from the offer letter: a citizenship document, the published schedule entry for the profession being claimed, and proof of the qualification that entry requires. Everything else supports those. Identifying which record carries which condition prevents a thick file that still leaves one condition unproved.
Start with the schedule entry, not the resume
Open the published profession schedule and read the entry for the occupation being claimed, including the credential it names and any alternatives it allows. Some entries require a specific degree, some accept a state or provincial licence, and some accept a defined combination of a lesser credential with stated years of experience. Until that wording is in front of you, it is impossible to know which of the applicant's documents matter. A surveyor with a provincial licence and a technology diploma may be well positioned or poorly positioned depending entirely on which alternative the entry actually permits, and no amount of employer support changes that reading.
Get the institutional records moving early
The documents that carry the qualification condition are issued by institutions, not by the applicant: a registrar's certified transcript and degree confirmation, a licensing body's letter of good standing, and where a credential was awarded outside Canada, Mexico or the United States, a reliable foreign credential evaluation. Each of these takes time that cannot be recovered later, and each occasionally arrives with a name or date that does not match other records. Request them at the very start of the process, before the employer's letter is drafted, so that any discrepancy is discovered while there is still room to resolve it.
Let the employer letter do only its own job
The support letter describes the work, the professional character of the duties, the claimed profession, the engagement period and who employs and pays the applicant. It should not be asked to assert facts it cannot know, such as the content of a degree or the applicant's citizenship. Where any part of the work happens at a client's site, the letter should state plainly who directs and controls it. It should also address the employment structure, since this category covers prearranged professional work rather than self-employment, and any ownership interest in the receiving entity belongs on the record.
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.