Identify the listed profession
Compare the actual position with the relevant USMCA profession and its exact qualification alternatives. A broad job title is not enough. Establish eligible Canadian or Mexican citizenship; a Canadian PR card does not satisfy that requirement. The first review produces a matrix that assigns every duty to an immigration requirement, a professional rule, or an employer condition. This exposes a mismatch before the employer letter is drafted.
Separate three kinds of conditions
Record what the immigration category requires, what the applicable professional regulator requires and what the employer requires. Some evidence may serve more than one purpose, but the standards should not be treated as identical. Obtain the actual requirements before ordering services. Collect the issuing record before purchasing optional analysis. A transcript, licence verification, or signed duty description can settle a point that a generic checklist leaves unresolved.
Explain the intended duties
If the role will change after licensing, describe the stages accurately and assess whether the proposed arrangement supports the category. Do not disguise unlicensed professional practice as training or claim a credential the applicant has not received. If a credential remains pending, distinguish lawful preparation from regulated practice. An interim label does not make the underlying activities permissible.
Coordinate the lawful start
The applicant needs appropriate immigration permission and any other authorization required for the work actually performed. A conditional offer is not itself work authorization. TN does not permit U.S. self-employment, and every ownership stake must be disclosed and assessed. A Canadian citizen may seek TN admission at a port of entry, or a U.S. employer may file Form I-129; the Canadian citizen does not need a TN visa stamp. Set a start-date contingency after identifying the admission or petition procedure and the evidence owner. Preserve the real assignment sequence if duties or worksite change.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.
