The TN visa for nurses lets Canadian and Mexican registered nurses work temporarily in the United States under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). To qualify, you need a valid U.S. state nursing license (or, for Mexican citizens, a Licenciatura degree), a VisaScreen certificate from CGFNS, and a job offer from a U.S. employer. Canadians apply at the border or a preclearance airport; Mexicans apply for a visa stamp at a U.S. consulate.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. TN USMCA Professionals
Who Qualifies as a Registered Nurse Under the USMCA
USMCA Appendix 2 to Annex 16-A lists Registered Nurse as an eligible profession, and the minimum credential is either a state or provincial license or a Licenciatura degree.2Office of the United States Trade Representative. USMCA Chapter 16 – Temporary Entry for Business Persons That is a lower bar than most TN professions, which require a bachelor’s degree. A Canadian nurse with a two- or three-year diploma and an active provincial license meets the treaty threshold.
The treaty minimum, though, is not enough on its own. You must also hold an active nursing license in the specific U.S. state where you plan to work.3eCFR. 8 CFR 214.6 – Citizens of Canada or Mexico Seeking Temporary Entry Under USMCA to Engage in Business Activities at a Professional Level That usually means passing the NCLEX-RN and meeting any additional state board requirements. A temporary or restricted permit issued while your license application is still pending generally will not satisfy the officer reviewing your TN request, so build the licensing timeline into your planning.
LPNs and LVNs Are Not Eligible
The TN category covers registered nurses only. Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses are not listed in the USMCA professional appendix, and their programs typically fall below the credential level the treaty envisions. There is no TN workaround for these roles.
Nurse Practitioners and Other Advanced Practice Nurses
Nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and other advanced practice registered nurses generally fit within the TN Registered Nurse category because they hold RN licensure at a minimum. Officers sometimes question job titles like “Nurse Practitioner” that do not match the treaty term. Ask your employer to explain in the support letter that the position requires and builds on RN licensure, and be ready to answer follow-up questions at the port of entry.
The VisaScreen Healthcare Worker Certification
Federal immigration law makes most foreign-educated healthcare professionals inadmissible unless they first obtain a certificate confirming their credentials and English proficiency.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1182 – Inadmissible Aliens For nurses, that certificate is the VisaScreen, issued by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS). Without a valid VisaScreen you will be turned away at the border or refused at the consulate.
The VisaScreen process has three parts. CGFNS reviews your nursing education using transcripts obtained directly from your school, verifies your nursing license, and evaluates your English proficiency through a standardized test. Accepted exams include the TOEFL iBT (minimum 81, with subsection minimums), IELTS Academic (minimum 6.5 overall with at least 7.0 on speaking), and the OET, among others.5CGFNS International, Inc. CGFNS Certification Program Canadian nurses educated in English-language programs are not exempt; CGFNS requires test scores from applicants whose nursing education was not completed in a country where English is the native language.
The standard application fee is approximately $740, with an additional $500 for expedited review.6CGFNS International, Inc. Make Sure Your VisaScreen Visa Credentials Assessment Certificate Is Current Once issued, the certificate is valid for five years. Because CGFNS contacts your school directly, the credential review alone can take several months. Start this process early.
The Employer Support Letter and Document Package
Every TN application depends on a detailed support letter from your U.S. employer. The letter should state the job title (Registered Nurse), describe the specific clinical duties, confirm the anticipated length of employment, outline compensation, and identify the professional qualifications the position requires.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. TN USMCA Professionals
These details get more scrutiny than most applicants expect. If the described duties read more like a nursing assistant or a healthcare administrator than a registered nurse, the officer may deny the application on the ground that the position does not match the USMCA profession. Ask your employer to use precise clinical language and avoid vague descriptions. Any single request can authorize employment for up to three years.
Alongside the letter, bring your original nursing degree or diploma, academic transcripts, a valid Canadian or Mexican passport, your VisaScreen certificate, and proof of your U.S. state nursing license. Keep originals with copies, and confirm that nothing is expired.
How to Apply
The application path depends on your citizenship.
Canadian Citizens Apply at the Border
Canadian nurses present the full document package to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at a Class A port of entry or at a preclearance station in a major Canadian airport. The officer reviews the file, conducts a short interview, and decides on the spot. The processing fee runs about $50 to $56 depending on whether you apply at a land crossing or a preflight station, plus a small I-94 fee. No advance petition is required.
A prepared application can be approved in under an hour. A missing document or a weak employer letter, however, means an immediate refusal with no chance to supplement on the spot. You would need to return with corrected documents and try again.
Mexican Citizens Apply at a U.S. Consulate
Mexican nurses must obtain a TN visa stamp before traveling. You complete the DS-160 online nonimmigrant visa application, pay the $185 application fee, and attend an in-person interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Mexico.7U.S. Department of State. Fees for Visa Services If approved, the TN visa is placed in your passport, and you use it to seek admission at a U.S. port of entry. Appointment wait times vary by consulate and season, so check availability early in your planning.
Filing Form I-129 From Inside the United States
Canadian and Mexican nurses already in the U.S. in valid status have a third route: the employer files Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) with USCIS. This is common for extensions and employer changes when you do not want to leave the country. Standard processing can take several months. Premium processing, requested by filing Form I-907, guarantees a decision within 15 business days for an additional fee of $2,965 (effective March 2026).
Length of Stay and Renewals
TN status is granted for up to three years at a time.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. TN USMCA Professionals You can extend in three-year increments either by having your employer file Form I-129 with USCIS or by leaving and reapplying at the border (Canadians) or a consulate (Mexicans).
There is no statutory limit on the number of renewals.8U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 2 Part P Chapter 4 – Extension of Stay and Change of Status Some nurses have held TN status for a decade or longer through successive extensions. Because TN is a nonimmigrant classification, you must credibly intend to return to your home country at some point. Officers who see many consecutive renewals may ask pointed questions about whether the stay is truly temporary, so maintain ties to Canada or Mexico and be ready to explain your plans.
Changing Employers Requires a New Approval
TN status is employer-specific. You can only work for the employer named on your approved application, and TN status has no portability provision that lets you start a new job while a transfer is pending. To change employers, either leave the U.S. and reapply with documentation from the new employer, or have the new employer file Form I-129 with USCIS while you remain in the country. You cannot start the new position until the change is approved. Working a shift at a facility that was never listed on your TN application is a status violation.
If You Lose Your Job
Your work authorization ends when the job ends, whether through termination, layoff, or resignation. Federal regulations provide a discretionary grace period of up to 60 consecutive days, or until your I-94 expiration date if that comes first, during which you can stay in the country without accruing unlawful presence.9eCFR. 8 CFR 214.1 – Requirements for Admission, Extension, and Maintenance of Status The grace period applies once per authorized validity period.
You cannot work during those 60 days. You can find a new employer willing to file a TN petition, apply for a change to a different nonimmigrant status, or prepare to depart. If a new employer files an I-129 before the 60 days expire, you will not accumulate unlawful presence while the petition is pending, but a denial means you must leave immediately.
Bringing Your Family on TD Status
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can accompany you in TD (Trade Dependent) status.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. TN USMCA Professionals They need proof of the relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate) and their own valid passports. Canadian family members can apply at the border with you; Mexican dependents need TD visas from a U.S. consulate.
TD status is tied to yours: if your TN expires or is revoked, their status ends too. TD holders cannot work in the United States, though they can study.10U.S. Department of State. 9 FAM 402.17 – USMCA Professionals TN and TD Visas A spouse who wants to work needs an independent work-authorized visa.
Moving From TN to a Green Card
Many nurses eventually want to move from TN status to permanent residency. The most common path is the EB-3 (Employment-Based Third Preference) category, which covers registered nurses. Your employer files a PERM labor certification with the Department of Labor, then Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers) with USCIS, and once a visa number is available, you file Form I-485 to adjust status.
The complication is that TN is a single-intent classification. Unlike the H-1B, which permits dual intent, TN requires that you maintain the intent to leave the U.S. eventually. Filing a PERM application or an I-140 does not by itself create a legal conflict, because those are employer-driven steps. Filing Form I-485, however, is an unambiguous statement of intent to stay permanently.
The practical risk shows up at the border. Once an I-485 is pending, leaving the country and trying to reenter on TN status can result in a refusal because the officer treats the pending adjustment as evidence of permanent intent. Some nurses in this situation avoid international travel while the I-485 is pending; others transition to H-1B before filing for the green card. Taking any permanent-residency-related action within 90 days of your most recent TN entry also creates a presumption that you misrepresented your intent when you entered, which is difficult to overcome. Timing and sequencing matter, and cross-border immigration counsel is worth the cost.