Is experience or a job offer required for a U.S. professional (TN) work visa?

Question

I am a Canadian citizen with a master's degree in criminal justice interested in working in the US. I live right over the border from detroit which has more employment opportunities. I know it would be almost impossible for me to get a work visa without having a family member who is American. I am considering completing my PhD in Social Work in order to be able to qualify for a TN visa. Is prior work experience or a job offer required to obtain a work permit as a social worker or simply educational transcripts?

Answer 1

The nonimmigrant NAFTA Professional (TN) visa allows citizens of Canada and Mexico, as NAFTA professionals to work in the United States. Permanent residents, including Canadian permanent residents, are not able to apply to work as a NAFTA professional.

How Can Professionals from Mexico and Canada Work in the United States?

Professionals of Canada or Mexico may work in the U.S. under the following conditions:

    * Applicant is a citizen of Canada or Mexico;

    * Profession is on the NAFTA list;

    * Position in the U.S. requires a NAFTA professional;

    * Mexican or Canadian applicant is to work in a prearranged full-time or part-time job, for a U.S. employer (see documentation required). Self employment is not permitted;

    * Professional Canadian or Mexican citizen has the qualifications of the profession  

The requirements for applying for citizens of Canada and Mexico, shown below, are different.

Requirements for Canadian Citizens

Canadian citizens usually do not need a visa as a NAFTA Professional, although a visa can be issued to qualified TN visa applicants upon request. However, a Canadian residing in another country with a non-Canadian spouse and children would need a visa to enable the spouse and children to be able to apply for a visa to accompany or join the NAFTA Professional, as a TD visa holder. To apply for visa, please see the requirements under the section Mexican Citizens - Applying for a TN Visa - Required Documentation.

A Canadian citizen without a TN visa can apply at a U.S. port of entry with all of the following:

    * Request for admission under TN status to Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. immigration officer;

    * Employment Letter - Evidence of professional employment. See Employment Letter below;

    * Proof of professional qualifications, such as transcripts of grades, licenses, certificates, degrees, and/or records of previous employment;

    * Proof of ability to meet applicable license requirements;

    * Proof of Canadian citizenship- Canadian citizens may present a passport, as visas are not required, or they may provide secondary evidence, such as a birth certificate. However, Canadian citizens traveling to the United States from outside the Western Hemisphere are required to present a valid passport at the port-of-entry;

    * Fee of U.S. $50

Go here to check the list of professions to make sure that Social workor CJ qualify.

http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/DefaultSi...

yes as it states above you must have a "pre arranged job "

Answer 2

I was able to come through on TN with just a bachelor's degree and 2 years of experience, but I am a database analyst, which fit the "computer systems analyst" category perfectly.

Here is the list of occupations that qualify for TN visa:

http://pengweber.com/workvisas/TNvisas/T...

I take that back, social worker is listed:

"

Social Worker

Baccalaureate or Licenciatura Degree

"

You do not need a PhD, just the baccalaureate degree in social work. A few years of experience would help too, but hardly necessary. You might also want to become a member of any USA or international licensed associations/groups of social workers, to add to the effect.

To get a TN you do need to have a job lined up already, with a job offer and start date. The job offer letter that they give you for the TN inspector needs to clearly state what you will be doing, what you will be paid, and how long you will be there. It must be a temporary position, not permanent. TN visas are only good for 1 year at a time, so if you have no fixed end date they might deny the TN.

You need to take everything with you, your passport, degree (original copy, they actually made me break mine out of the picture frame), original transcripts, certificates, reference letters from pervious jobs, the original watermarked job offer, a letter from the company stating that they will reimburse your relocation expenses, etc. The last time I got a TN they actually called the company to verify, because the job offer letter was a photocopy and did not have a watermark on it. They give you an I-94 card at the border and then the fun begins, you get to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks waiting for a social security # because nobody will rent an appartment to you without one. Then you get to stand in line for 3 hours with a bunch of hispanics at the DMV to get a 1-year drivers license. Welcome to America :)

Also note that there is a lot of immigration reform going on right now in USA, and neither Obama nor McCain are too fond of the whole NAFTA thing. So once you get in you might want to have your employer try to switch you to some other visa category or file for your Green Card.