Before an employer letter is drafted, list the specific claims a TN file must establish — citizenship, an identified professional position, and the qualification the listed profession requires — and identify a document and a responsible person for each one. That produces a file that can actually be checked, rather than one written to sound complete. The decision is whether the available records honestly support the actual role. Do not choose a profession first and search for compatible wording afterward. Hypothetical example: a plant-pathology specialist is offered a role that combines laboratory analysis with selling supplies. The employer must decide whether the primary duties can be documented as a listed professional position or whether the role needs to be separated before a TN request is made. The record should also state whether the applicant will request classification during inspection or the employer will file Form I-129, and it cannot describe an applicant-run U.S. business as employer-based TN work.
Start with duties that need clarifying
Hypothetical example: a Halifax applicant's offer mixes technical analysis with day-to-day scheduling work. Ask the hiring manager to describe an ordinary week and the expected deliverables, and keep both types of activity visible in the working file rather than removing whichever one is less convenient for the listed profession. Make a claims register with four columns: required fact, supporting record, document owner, and unresolved issue. A register exposes the difference between a missing transcript and a disagreement about the job itself.
Keep employer facts and credential facts separate
The employer confirms the position, pay and intended period; the applicant supplies the actual credential and identity evidence. Retain original credential names and identify whether translation or evaluation is genuinely required for the chosen procedure, since an employer's confidence in the candidate is not itself proof of a degree or licence. Check consistency across offer letters, client statements, agency agreements, and the applicant’s records. Resolve differences in duties, location, supervision, or ownership before the file is assembled; the most favorable version is not automatically the accurate one.
Reconcile documents before anyone signs
Compare the offer letter, any client agreement, and the proposed support letter, and ask the responsible party to explain material differences before finalizing anything. Disclose ownership interests and the real employer relationship so the finished file describes the job that will actually be performed. Decide the procedure after evidence is stable. Inspection presentation and an employer petition have different mechanics, but both depend on a defined professional role and a truthful description of the employment relationship.
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.