TN Visa Status as a Scientific Technician or Scientific Technologist ST/T

Qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens can obtain TN visa status to work in the United States as Scientific Technicians and Scientific Technologists under the USMCA (NAFTA). Scientific Technicians and Scientific Technologists are listed as one of the qualifying USMCA professions. We discuss the professions of Scientific Technicians and Scientific Technologists for TN visa purposes and how to qualify here.

What is a Scientific Technician or Scientific Technologist for TN Visa purposes?

Scientific Technicians and Scientific Technologists are defined as follows for immigration purposes:

A business person in the category of “Scientific Technician/Technologist”must possess:

(a) theoretical knowledge of any of the following disciplines: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology. chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics, and

(b) the ability to solve practical problems in any of those disciplines, or the ability to apply principles of any of those disciplines to basic or applied research.

How do I qualify for TN Visa status as a Scientific Technician or Technologist?

  • A scientific technician/technologist does not generally have a baccalaureate degree. The following principles will be used to evaluate the admissibility of scientific technician/technologist applicants.
    1. Individuals for whom scientific technicians/ technologists wish to provide direct support must qualify as professionals in their own right in one of the following fields: agricultural sciences, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, forestry, geology, geophysics, meteorology, or physics.
    2.  A general offer of employment by such a professional is insufficient to qualify for admission as a Scientific Technician or Technologist (ST/T). The offer must demonstrate that the ST/T’s work will be interrelated with that of the supervisory professional. That is, the ST/T’s work must be managed, coordinated, and reviewed by the professional supervisor, and input must also be provided to the supervisory professional’s work.
    3. The ST/T’s theoretical knowledge should have been acquired through completing at least two years of training in a relevant educational program. Such training may be documented by presenting a diploma, certificate, or transcript accompanied by evidence or relevant work experience.
    4. U.S. authorities will rely on the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook to establish whether proposed job functions are consistent with those of a scientific or engineering technician or technologist. ST/Ts should not be admitted to perform job functions primarily associated with other job titles.

I work in the trades. Can I qualify for TN visa status as a Scientific Technician or Scientific Technologist?

    1. Not admissible as ST/Ts are persons intending to do work that is typically done by the construction trades (welders, boiler makers, carpenters, electricians, etc.), even where these trades are specialized to a particular industry (e.g., aircraft, power distribution, etc.)

Unrelated Professions to a Medical Technologist

The US Department of Labor (DOL) classifies and provides job descriptions and details for all recognized professions. According to the DOL classification codes for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists – 29-2011.00 and Medical Clinical Laboratory Technicians – 29-2012.00, the following professions are separate and unique. They are not classified under the profession of medical technologist:

Related Professions to a Medical Technologist

According to the DOL classification codes for both Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists – 29-2011.00 and Medical Clinical Laboratory Technicians – 29-2012.00, the following professions are related to the profession of medical technologist:

Consultation

At Richards and Jurusuk, our legal practice is devoted to U.S. Immigration Laws, focusing on the USCMA and TN Visas. We have helped thousands of qualified professionals successfully obtain TN Visa status to work and live in the United States. Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced TN visa lawyers to help you with the TN visa application process.

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You may have questions regarding the TN Visa requirements for a Scientific Technician or Technologist. We invite you to contact our team at Richards and Jurusik for detailed guidance and assistance. We aim to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information to make your immigration process smoother and less stressful. The immigration lawyers at Richards and Jurusik have decades of experience helping people to work and live in the United States. Please read some of our hundreds of 5-star client reviews! Contact us today to assess your legal situation.

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