TN Visa Canada: The CUSMA Professional Work Permit Explained

As of October 2, 2026.

A CUSMA work permit is an employer-specific work permit for United States and Mexican citizens who have a prearranged job offer in a listed profession and hold the credentials that profession requires. It does not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), and it is decided by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The "TN visa" people search for is the separate US status for Canadians and Mexicans.

Is there a TN visa for Canada?

Short answer: Not under that name. "TN visa" almost always means a United States status that lets Canadian and Mexican citizens work in the US. The Canadian equivalent, for United States and Mexican citizens who want to work here, is a work permit issued under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the trade deal that replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The two move in opposite directions, so the first thing to settle is which way you are going.

If you are heading to Canada, read the next four sections. If you are a Canadian looking south, skip ahead to the US section. We keep them apart on purpose, because the rules, the forms, and the deciding authority are different on each side of the border. The letters "TN" come from "Trade NAFTA," and the category survived the move from NAFTA to CUSMA.

What is the CUSMA professional work permit?

Short answer: It is an employer-specific work permit that lets an eligible United States or Mexican citizen work in Canada in a qualifying profession without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It sits in the "professionals" category of Canada's International Mobility Program, and it is processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Because the trade agreement already accounts for the labour market effect, the employer is spared the LMIA step that most other work permits demand. The official rules are on the IRCC Work in Canada under a free trade agreement page.

The permit is temporary and tied to the specific employer and role named in your offer. It does not grant permanent residence and it is not a visa to settle. It is a way for a named company to bring a named professional into a named job, faster than the standard route, because the LMIA is waived.

Who is eligible for the CUSMA professional work permit?

Short answer: Four things have to line up. You must be a citizen of the United States or Mexico, your occupation must appear on the CUSMA professionals list, you must hold a prearranged job offer from a Canadian employer in that same profession, and you must have the degree or professional credentials the occupation requires. Permanent residents of the US or Mexico do not qualify on residence alone; this route is built on citizenship.

The core requirements:

• Citizenship of the United States or Mexico, not permanent residence.
• A listed profession. Your occupation must be one of the professions named in the agreement.
• A prearranged Canadian job with an employer, in that profession, at the level the role calls for.
• The right credentials. The degree, licence, or experience the profession requires.

If your occupation is not on the list, this permit is closed to you, and another work permit category may fit instead.

What jobs qualify for a CUSMA professional work permit?

Short answer: Your job must be one of the professions listed in Appendix 2 of Annex 16-A of the agreement, which groups them into four categories: general, medical and allied professionals, scientists, and teachers. Each profession carries a minimum education requirement or an alternative credential, usually a bachelor's degree or a licence. Your Canadian job offer must match the listed profession, and you must hold the credential it names. If your job is not on the list, this permit is not available to you.

The agreement is the source for the list, so check your exact profession on the official Appendix 2 list of professionals before you plan around it. A sample of common entries:

Professionals are one of several CUSMA categories. Intra-company transferees and traders and investors follow separate rules; for transfers, see our guide to the intra-company transfer work permit.

How does a US or Mexican citizen apply to work in Canada under CUSMA?

Short answer: The process has two halves, employer first. Your Canadian employer submits an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and pays the employer compliance fee, which produces an offer number. You then apply for the employer-specific work permit using that number, either online before you travel or, depending on your situation, on arrival. IRCC sets out the employer's duties on the Hire through the International Mobility Program page.

A few practical points follow from being employer-specific. You can work only for the employer on the permit, in the role it names. If you change employers, you generally need a new permit. Bring proof of citizenship, your job offer, and your credentials, and be ready to show how your occupation matches the listed profession.

How much does a CUSMA work permit cost?

Short answer: IRCC charges $155 per person for a work permit, and the employer pays an employer compliance fee, listed by IRCC as "from $230, unless exempted." Your own situation can add other costs, such as a medical exam or credential evaluation, depending on the job. Check the current amounts on IRCC's fee list and the International Mobility Program page before you file, because fees change.

The employer fee belongs to the employer, and the work permit fee belongs to the worker. If you are comparing routes, our guide on how to get a work permit in Canada shows the other options, and our LMIA guide explains when an employer needs one. For help preparing a CUSMA application, see our CUSMA application support page.

How is the US TN visa different from the Canadian CUSMA work permit?

Short answer: They face opposite directions and answer to different governments. The TN visa carries Canadian or Mexican citizens into the United States and is decided by US authorities. The CUSMA professional work permit carries United States or Mexican citizens into Canada and is decided by IRCC. The same trade agreement underpins both; the United States calls it USMCA, Canada calls it CUSMA, and Mexico calls it T-MEC. The table sets the two side by side.

The practical takeaway: a US citizen reads the Canada column, and a Canadian citizen reads the United States column. Mexican citizens can appear in either, depending on the direction of the move.

What does the US TN visa involve for Canadian citizens?

Short answer: It lets a Canadian citizen work in the United States in a listed profession, and it is a US process from start to finish. You apply on the strength of a US job offer in a qualifying occupation, and Canadian citizens usually request TN status at a United States port of entry rather than getting a visa sticker in the passport. The decision is made by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), with policy set alongside US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Canadian permanent residents are not eligible; the route is for citizens.

Two limits matter. TN is a non-immigrant status, which means it does not carry "dual intent," so it is not designed as a step toward a US green card. And it is profession-bound and employer-specific on the US side as well. Because this is United States immigration, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant cannot act for you on it. Start with the official USCIS TN USMCA professionals page and a US immigration attorney.

Can the CUSMA work permit lead to permanent residence in Canada?

Short answer: Indirectly, yes. The permit itself is temporary, but the skilled Canadian work experience you gain on it can count toward permanent residence later. Time worked in Canada can support an Express Entry profile through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or a nomination under a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). Permanent residence is always a separate application with its own criteria; the work permit does not convert into it automatically.

If permanent residence is the goal, treat the CUSMA permit as the first move, not the finish. Keep records of your hours and duties, confirm your occupation's skill level early, and look at the Express Entry streams while you work. The right sequence can turn a temporary professional posting into a durable Canadian future.

Frequently asked questions

These are the questions we hear most from United States and Mexican professionals looking at Canada, and from Canadians asking about the United States route. Each answer keeps the two directions apart, so you can act on the one that actually applies to your citizenship and your destination.

Who is eligible for a Canadian TN visa?

There is no permit literally called a "Canadian TN visa." The Canadian equivalent is the CUSMA professional work permit, open to United States and Mexican citizens whose occupation is on the CUSMA professionals list and who hold a prearranged Canadian job offer in that profession with the required credentials.

Do Canadians need a TN visa to work in the US?

A Canadian citizen needs TN status to work in the United States in a qualifying TN profession, but usually not a visa sticker. Canadians typically request TN status at a US port of entry. It is a US process decided by US authorities, not by Canada.

Can a Canada PR apply for a TN visa?

No. The TN route is for citizens of Canada, the United States, or Mexico, depending on direction. A Canadian permanent resident who is not also a citizen of one of those three countries cannot use it, on either side of the border.

Is a TN visa better than an H-1B?

It depends on the person. TN is faster and cheaper and has no annual cap, but it is profession-bound and is a non-immigrant status with no dual intent. The H-1B allows dual intent, which can suit someone aiming at a US green card. This is a United States comparison, so confirm it with a US immigration attorney.

What are the disadvantages of a TN visa?

The main drawbacks are that it ties you to one employer and one listed profession, it is temporary, and it carries no built-in path to permanent residence. On the US side, the absence of dual intent can complicate a later green card. On the Canadian side, the CUSMA permit shares the same employer-specific and temporary limits.

How can a licensed RCIC help with your CUSMA work permit?

Short answer: On the Canadian side, the details decide the case. Go Far Global is a licensed Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) firm in Toronto, regulated by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). We confirm that your occupation truly matches the CUSMA professionals list, structure the employer's offer of employment and compliance step, prepare the work permit application, and map whether your Canadian experience can later support permanent residence. Because we are regulated for Canadian immigration, we advise on the Canada-bound CUSMA permit, not the United States TN. Book a consultation to confirm your route.

Sources

• IRCC, Business people: Work in Canada under a free trade agreement
• Global Affairs Canada, CUSMA Chapter 16: Temporary entry for business persons, Appendix 2
• IRCC, Citizenship and immigration application fees: fee list
• IRCC, Hire through the International Mobility Program
• IRCC, Express Entry: Canadian Experience Class
• IRCC, Immigrate as a provincial nominee
• IRCC, Immigrate through Express Entry
• USCIS, TN USMCA professionals (United States side only)

Go Far Global is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) firm in Toronto. We represent clients on Canadian immigration matters only. The United States TN visa is a US process handled by US authorities; the US section above is general information, not legal advice.