IN THIS GUIDE · Settle the licence question before the start date is agreed
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Ask which licence the role requires and where it stands
For professions whose schedule entry is built around licensure, the state board becomes the gatekeeper. Ask the employer to name the exact licence and the issuing board, ask what stage the applicant's own application has reached, and ask whether the state participates in any multi-state arrangement that would change the answer. Then ask the board directly rather than relying on the employer's understanding of its timelines. A hospital can commit to a position; it cannot commit to a board's processing. That distinction, understood early, prevents a start date that was never achievable. Obtain the board's written list of prerequisites and retain the reply with the file. A recruiter’s statement that licensing is routine cannot substitute for the board’s determination, particularly where examinations, supervised practice, or a separate credential assessment are required.
Ask who the legal employer is and who directs the work
Health systems, staffing organisations and facility operators are frequently different entities, and the name on the offer letter may not be the name of the employer. Ask which entity pays, which entity supervises, and whether any shifts would be worked at a facility the offering organisation does not operate. This matters because the category covers prearranged professional work for an employer and does not authorise self-employment in the United States, and because an arrangement where the worker is effectively supplied to a third party looks different from ordinary employment when examined. Request an organisation chart, the proposed supervisor’s name, and the payroll entity before treating the offer as settled. Those records show whether the arrangement is employment rather than a disguised owner-operated engagement, an issue that cannot be solved by changing the job title.
Ask which schedule profession the employer is relying on
It is a fair question and it produces useful information. If the employer names the profession confidently and the duty description matches the published entry, the analysis is straightforward. If the answer is a job title that does not appear in the schedule at all, the conversation needs to happen before anything else is prepared. Confirm citizenship separately: the category is limited to citizens of Canada or Mexico, so a permanent resident card does not answer that question no matter how long the applicant has lived here. Compare daily tasks against the schedule entry before describing the role. A broad title may cover work that is outside the listed profession, so the useful record is a duties list signed by the person who will direct the work, not a vacancy advertisement.
Ask how the request will actually be made
Canadians are not issued a visa stamp in this category. The request is presented at a port of entry with the supporting evidence, or the employer files Form I-129. These are different processes with different preparation, different timing and different consequences if something is questioned, and the employer usually has a settled preference based on past hires. Ask which route they intend, ask what documents they will provide and by when, and ask what happens to the position if the first attempt is not successful. Decide which filing path fits the start date only after the evidence is complete. A border presentation may suit a ready file; an I-129 submission can be preferable where an employer needs an adjudicated petition. Keep copies of the choice and the evidence actually used.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.