TN Professionals

TN Category Overview: The TN category, updated on July 11, 2022, under the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA), which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), was created to facilitate the entry of Canadian and Mexican Citizens to the United States in order to engage in professional activities on a temporary basis. 

  • Professional Occupations List: The Code of Federal Regulations contains a list of the professional occupations and minimum qualifications which serves as the basis for TN employment. 
  • Eligibility for TN Status: The TN category is only available to citizens of Canada or Mexico. Landed immigrants or permanent residents of Canada or Mexico are not eligible, since the regulations made provision only for citizens of these two countries. 

Application & Processing Information

Application & Processing Information: TN processing can happen from within the US or from outside. Hiring departments of TN employees should submit a TN request eform in iPenn to create a TN case. In the eform, the hiring department needs to choose the type of TN application – TN Processing Outside the US, or TN Processing Within the US.

Processing Recommendation: While it may be possible to change/extend status to TN within the US, the process is costly and more time-consuming than applying for TN status at a port of entry. Thus, TN processing from within the US is not recommended. 

TN Processing Outside the US

Initial processing requirements differ for Canadians and Mexicans. 

  • Processing Procedures: Please read and print the TN Processing Procedures for Outside the US. ISSS will provide a letter including all the necessary information in the list above once we receive the TN request from the department. The TN employee should also get a letter from the hiring department.
  • Document Retention: Keep these with you as you prepare for the application. 

TN Processing Within the US

ISSS recommends obtaining TN status by traveling for immigration processing at the port of entry. 

Alternative Filing Process: If the TN employee does not want to travel, ISSS will need to file an I-129 Petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In such cases, there will be an internal processing fee of $700 for initial and extension applications.  

  • Employer’s Responsibility: To pursue an extension or change of status to TN within the U.S., the hiring department must work with ISSS. 
  • Filing Requirement: If processing from within the U.S., it will involve a filing of a U.S. government petition by the employer, not by the TN employee.   
  • Processing Time Differences: The government processing time varies, compared to immediate processing if done at the border. 

The hiring departments and the foreign nationals are not authorized to file their own TN I-129 petitions.  Such petitions must be filed by ISSS. `

Government Filing Fees: Credit Card Payments

To comply with the modernized payment requirement outlined in the March 25, 2025 Executive Order, effective July 1, ISSS will only accept credit card payment for government filing fees. No checks will be accepted. In order to use credit card payment, departments have to upload a completed Form G-1450 through iPenn. Below are detailed instructions for Form G-1450. Click here for a sample Form G-1450.

USCIS Filing Fees: 

  1. Place University of Pennsylvania in the first requested field labeled “Applicant’s/Petitioner’s/Requester’s Information (Full Legal Name)” in the Given Name or Family Name box. No need to add the beneficiary’s name.
  2. Two separate G-1450 forms are needed if premium processing is requested.
    Regular Processing: One Form G-1450: $510
    Premium Processing: Two Forms G-1450–a second Form G-1450 is required for Form I-907 for the $2,805 amount.
  3. Fees can be paid with your department’s Pro-card or individual credit card. The name on the credit card does not need to match the name of the petitioner or beneficiary. 
  4. It is advisable to avoid payments with credit or debit cards with a daily limit that is below the fee amount submitted.
  5. Avoid scanned signatures that are unclear or appear to be type-written. It is best practice to submit Form G-1450 with a wet signature to avoid a rejection, but a clear scan of a wet signature is also acceptable.

USCIS will reject the entire package if you submit:

  1. One Form G-1450 for multiple applications, petitions, or requests
  2. A check and credit card authorization to split the payment for the same application, petition, or request; or
  3. A mix of money orders, checks, and credit card authorizations together for multiple applications, petitions, or requests.

Conditions, Reminders, & Dependents Information

Period, Change & Completion of TN Employment

Period of TN Employment

Canadian and Mexican citizens may be admitted to the U.S. in TN status for a period of up to three years to participate in a qualifying activity; however, there is no cumulative total limit on the time a Canadian or Mexican citizens can be in TN status. 

Extension of Stay: Extensions of stay may also be granted in increments of up to three years, provided that the TN nonimmigrant is able to demonstrate that they do not intend to remain or work permanently in the U.S.  

Tenure-Track Positions: Candidates for tenure-track positions are asked to consult with ISSS on different immigration classifications which would allow permanent employment. 

Change of TN Employer

If an individual is already in the U.S. and in TN status but is sponsored by another employer and wishes to start employment at Penn, they must obtain a new TN status that is specific to Penn employment. 

Work Authorization Requirement: The individual must not begin working for Penn until Penn’s TN is approved. 

Completion of TN Employment

Unfortunately, there is no grace period for the TN employees. The individual is expected to leave the U.S. on the last day of employment. 

TN Employment Restrictions

The TN is specific to the employer and job/position for an individual TN employee. TN employment authorized for Penn does not allow employment with another department at Penn, at another location, or for a different employer. 

Employment Changes: Consult ISSS prior to any changes in the individual’s employment, such as change in title, academic degree required for position, number of hours worked, department, location, or position duties. In some cases, an amended petition will have to be filed with DHS. 

Risk of Non-Compliance: Please note that failure to consult ISSS may put Penn and the individual employee at risk for sanctions and penalties by DHS or U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). 

Honoraria Restrictions: TN employees are not allowed to accept honoraria or payment from outside sources. 

Travel in TN Status

TN employees should always consult with ISSS before traveling outside the U.S.  

Pending Change of Status: Furthermore, employees requesting a change of status to TN within the U.S. should not leave the U.S. while the petition is pending; DHS considers leaving the U.S. while a petition is pending to be an abandonment of the petition.

TN Dependents

The spouse and unmarried minor children (under 21 years of age) of the TN status holder are eligible for TD dependent status.

TD Status Eligibility: Unlike TN status, TD status is not limited to citizens of Canada and Mexico.

To obtain TD status, a dependent must either:

  • Applying from Overseas: Apply for an TD visa stamp at the US Embassy or Consulate overseas. Canadian citizens are visa exempt. Upon entry to the US, dependents must present a copy of TN’s immigration documents, his/her passport and his/her TD visa stamp (accompanied by any supporting documents) at the US Port of Entry in order to gain TD status; or
  • Applying from the US: Apply for a Change of Status in the US.  Meet with an ISSS advisor for further details.

Study Restrictions: TD dependents may study in the US, as long as their primary purpose in the US is to accompany the TN status holder.  However, the duration of their study depends on the TN’s period of stay.

Work Restrictions: TD dependents are not eligible to work in the US. 

Extension of TD Status: If the TN is eligible and applies for an extension of stay, the TD dependent may also apply for an extension along with the TN status holder before the expiration of TD status.

A child may not continue to hold TD status upon reaching his or her 21st birthday.