United States of America · work sponsored
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Source check: all 7 official citations reconfirmed 11 July 2026
Non-immigrant work visa under USMCA for Canadian and Mexican citizens in listed professions.
- Processing time
- Canadians: same-day decision at port of entry. Mexicans: consular processing.
- Government fees
- Canadian land-border baseline: USD 50 TN professional request fee plus USD 30 I-94 fee. Mexican TN/TD MRV fee USD 185. Form I-129 E/TN filing: USD 1,015 paper or USD 965 online for standard employers, plus Asylum Program Fee if filed; premium processing is optional at USD 2,965.
- Typical duration
- Up to 3 years; renewable indefinitely while activity continues.
- Sponsorship required
- Yes
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
As of 8 July 2026, the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) for United States of America has a typical government cost of about US$80 and typical processing of 1 days – 4 weeks. Sources: official United States of America government pages, reviewed 8 July 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/us/tn#answer
What is the TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) in United States of America?
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) is a sponsor-led United States route. Indicative government fees are Canadian land-border baseline: USD 50 TN professional request fee plus USD 30 I-94 fee. Mexican TN/TD MRV fee USD 185. Form I-129 E/TN filing: USD 1,015 paper or USD 965 online for standard employers, plus Asylum Program Fee if filed; premium processing is optional at USD 2,965; indicative processing time is Canadians: same-day decision at port of entry. Mexicans: consular processing; typical duration is Up to 3 years; renewable indefinitely while activity continues. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Verified against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on 1 July 2026.
US petition cost controls
US H-1B, O-1 and TN petition cost, payer and stage evidence
The visa guide answers eligibility. This layer ties the route guide to cost, fee and source-date evidence without implying one generic US work-visa cost.
Employer-side versus applicant-side costs
USCIS petition filing, employer wage attestations and applicant consular fees do not have the same payer. Keep the payer visible before quoting any H-1B, O-1 or TN total.
Optional premium processing is not baseline
Premium processing can speed eligible I-129 adjudication, but it is optional and excluded from the baseline unless the filing strategy actually uses Form I-907.
Wage, evidence and intent gates are not fees
H-1B prevailing wage, O-1 evidence and petitioner requirements, and TN USMCA profession or temporary-intent gates are approval conditions, not money paid away to the government.
Stale USCIS fee trap
Re-check USCIS G-1055, H/L fee guidance, I-907 premium processing, State MRV, CBP and DOL sources before reuse. H-1B proclamation exposure and wage-weighted selection are conditional policy lines, not baseline fees.
| Route | Baseline and fee example | Payer and filing stage | Eligibility or evidence gate | Optional or conditional lines | Source date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B - H-1B Specialty OccupationCost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$3,595Fee worked example: US$3,595 (Initial H-1B, standard employer (>25 FTE, not H-1B-dependent), no premium). | Registration, DOL LCA, employer Form I-129 petition, then change of status or consular stamping.Core petition filing is employer-side in the model; the DS-160/MRV line is beneficiary-side only when a visa stamp is needed abroad. | Prevailing-wage salary evidence (DOL LCA): US$62,000-US$150,000 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: DS-160 / consular MRV visa fee: US$205.Conditional: Foreign degree evaluation: US$0-US$250; Certified translations: US$0-US$200; Public Law 114-113 fee (large H-1B-dependent employer): US$4,000. | 1 July 2026USCIS — Fee Schedule (Form G-1055) |
| O-1 - O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or AchievementCost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$1,655-US$2,155Fee worked example: US$1,655 (Single initial O-1, standard employer, no premium). | US employer or agent Form I-129 petition with evidence, consultation where required, then consular stamping if abroad.The USCIS petition is filed by the employer or agent; consular MRV and some evidence-service costs can sit with the beneficiary depending on the engagement. | O-1 evidence-threshold gate: US$0; US employer or agent petitioner gate: US$0; Peer-group or labor consultation/advisory opinion: US$0-US$500 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: DS-160 / consular MRV visa fee: US$205; Visa appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300; O-3 dependant consular MRV visa fee: US$205.Conditional: Attorney or petition-preparation fees: US$2,500-US$8,000; Evidence package: letters, press, archive and translations: US$0-US$1,000; Credential evaluation where useful: US$0-US$250. | 1 July 2026USCIS - Form G-1055 fee schedule |
| TN - TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)Cost modelGovernment fee page | Cost model: US$80Fee worked example: US$80 (Canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing). | Canadian CBP admission, Mexican consular visa, or employer Form I-129 change/extension path.Canadian border and Mexican consular paths are applicant-facing; employer I-129 filing is a separate optional path for changes, extensions or pre-approval. | USMCA profession eligibility gate: US$0; Prearranged U.S. employer support-letter gate: US$0; Temporary-entry / nonimmigrant-intent gate: US$0 | Premium Processing (Form I-907): US$2,965Consular: Temporary-entry / nonimmigrant-intent gate: US$0; Mexican TN/TD consular MRV visa fee: US$185; Consular appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300.Conditional: Foreign credential evaluation where required: US$0-US$250; Consular appointment, courier, photos and local travel: US$0-US$300; Form I-129 E/TN filing fee (paper, standard employer): US$1,015. | 1 July 2026USCIS / CBP / State Department TN fee sources |
Publisher-ready citation snippet
Visa Atlas separates US employment-petition cost answers by payer and stage: H-1B combines registration, LCA wage evidence and employer I-129 fees; O-1 combines petitioner, evidence and advisory-opinion gates; TN splits Canadian CBP, Mexican consular and employer I-129 alternatives.
- Tech worker route comparison
- H-1B visa guide
- H-1B cost-to-complete model
- H-1B government fee page
- O-1 visa guide
- O-1 cost-to-complete model
- O-1 government fee page
- TN cost-to-complete model
- TN government fee page
- Cost-to-complete JSON
- Fees JSON
- Visa JSON
- How our US petition cost figures compare
Latest source record in this cluster: 1 July 2026. This cluster supports retrieval and review, not ranking, traffic, AI-citation or market-share outcome claims.
Overview
The TN visa implements the USMCA (formerly NAFTA) preferential professional categories for Canadian and Mexican citizens. The list of qualifying professions (Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A of the USMCA) includes engineers, scientists, accountants, lawyers, architects, and many healthcare roles. TN is not dual-intent and is not a direct path to permanent residence.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Canadian or Mexican citizenship.U.S. Department of State ↗
- ✓Job offer in a profession listed in USMCA Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A.Office of the United States Trade Representative ↗
- ✓Beneficiary has the qualifications required for the listed profession (typically a bachelor’s or licence).Office of the United States Trade Representative ↗
- ✓Temporary intent to enter the US (not dual-intent).U.S. Department of State ↗
Common blockers
- !Offered role not matching a listed USMCA profession.U.S. Department of State ↗
- !Filing a US green-card application that undermines non-immigrant intent.
Typical evidence
- ·Employer support letter describing the role and matching USMCA category.U.S. Department of State ↗
- ·Proof of citizenship and relevant credentials.U.S. Department of State ↗
- ·Reliable credential evaluation if the degree was issued outside Canada, Mexico or the United States.
Application pathway
Employer prepares support letter
Letter matches duties to USMCA profession and confirms temporary intent.
Apply at port of entry (Canadians) or consulate (Mexicans)
Canadians typically apply at a Class A POE; Mexicans apply at a US consulate.
Work in TN status
Extensions filed via I-129 or at POE for Canadians.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicantCheck TN USMCA application route ↗
Canadian and Mexican professionals use this USCIS page to confirm whether to apply at the border, consulate, or through Form I-129.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · verified
Fees and processing time
A typical TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico) application runs about US$80 in government fees (canadian citizen, port-of-entry filing). A decision then typically takes 1 days – 4 weeks. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
Matches these professions
Also explored by
Compare United States of America with
Related routes
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Employer-sponsored non-immigrant visa for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher.
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Visa for individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, education, business, athletics (O-1A) or the arts/film/television (O-1B).
Frequently asked questions
How much does TN cost for Canadian and Mexican applicants?+
For a Canadian citizen using the land-border baseline, budget USD 80 in government charges: the USD 50 TN professional request fee plus the current USD 30 CBP Form I-94 land-border fee. Mexican TN and TD applicants use the consular route and pay the USD 185 non-petition MRV fee where required. If the employer files Form I-129 for a change, extension or pre-approval, the USCIS E/TN filing fee and Asylum Program Fee can make the case much more expensive.
Is the TN dual-intent?+
No. Unlike H-1B and L-1, TN is not a dual-intent visa. Active green-card intent can affect admission or renewal; applicants typically plan any adjustment strategy carefully with counsel.
Can TD dependants work in the United States?+
No. USCIS says spouses and unmarried children under 21 may qualify for TD status, but TD dependants are not permitted to work. They may study, and their status cannot last longer than the principal TN worker status.
As a Canadian, how fast can I get TN status and how much does it cost at the border?+
Canadian citizens typically receive a same-day decision when applying at a Class A land port of entry or pre-flight inspection, with a current land-border baseline of about USD 80 in government charges: USD 50 for the TN professional request plus USD 30 for the CBP Form I-94 land-border fee. No visa stamp is issued. You need an employer support letter matching your role to a USMCA-listed profession plus your credentials; CBP routinely denies weak files.
Does the TN visa lead to a US green card the way the H-1B can?+
No. The TN is not dual-intent and is not a direct path to permanent residence, and active green-card intent can affect admission or renewal. It is renewable indefinitely in up to 3-year increments while the qualifying activity continues, but any settlement strategy must be planned separately and carefully with counsel.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in United StatesHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Last checked: 1 July 2026