When applying for a TN (Trade NAFTA) visa, one of the key documents is the job offer letter. The TN visa allows qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to work in the United States in certain professional occupations. While the offer letter might seem like a simple document, it is crucial to ensure it contains specific details that comply with U.S. immigration requirements.
A well-prepared TN visa offer letter must include the following elements:
1. Company Information: The letter should clearly state the U.S. employer’s name, address, and contact information. This establishes the legitimacy of the business offering employment. It’s also a good idea to include a brief description of the company’s operations, especially if the company isn’t well-known.
2. Job Title and Category: One of the most critical aspects of the TN visa offer letter is that the job title must fall under one of the professions listed in the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) Appendix 1603.D.1.
3. Detailed Job Description: The job description should detail the duties and responsibilities that align with the selected TN visa profession. It’s important to ensure that the description reflects professional-level work and matches the job title.
4. Qualifications of the Applicant: The letter should specify that the applicant has the necessary qualifications for the role. This typically includes relevant education (such as a bachelor’s degree in the field) or experience.
5. Temporary Nature of the Employment: The TN visa is nonimmigrant, meaning the employment is temporary. The offer letter should make it clear that the employment is not indefinite and that the position is for a specific period or is temporary in nature.
6. Salary and Benefits: It is important to include details about the applicant’s compensation. This can include the annual salary or hourly rate, as well as any additional benefits the employee will receive.
7. Signature and Contact Information: The offer letter must be signed by an authorized representative of the employer, such as the hiring manager or HR director. Your TN offer letter must be an original signed in ink on official US company letterhead. CBP now follows the USCIS signature requirements and accepts copies of original ink-signed documents. Be careful when relying on a copy, as CBP still has the discretion to require original ink-signed papers and forms.
8. Company Letterhead: The offer letter should be on official company letterhead to lend credibility to the document. It’s also important that the letter is addressed to the correct recipient.
Conclusion
A proper TN visa offer letter is more than just a formality—it’s a vital component of the TN visa application process. It needs to clearly demonstrate that the job is temporary, falls under a qualifying TN profession, and that the applicant has the necessary qualifications to perform professional-level work. By including all the essential elements in the letter, both employers and applicants can streamline the application process and increase the likelihood of TN visa approval.
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Don’t know where to start? Most offer letters fail to meet the minimum requirements for a TN Visa application. Many TN Visa applications are denied simply due to an improper TN Visa offer letter. The TN Visa lawyers at Richards and Jurusik Immigration Law have hundreds of 5-star client reviews and decades of experience helping TN Visa holders with all aspects of the TN Visa process. We always start with a case assessment and offer several levels of TN Visa legal services to fit your needs.
