I qualify for TN, is there any way for my wife to work?

Hello,

I have a very good chance of qualifying for a TN visa (job offer, fits a category, etc.). Is there any way my wife can come with me and get a job? We're both Canadian citizens (born and raised). I know she can come with me under the TD visa but according to the rules, she can't work. Can I apply for my Green Card as soon as I arrive in the US and then she could apply for another type of visa to eventually get a work permit? Unfortunately, it doesn't appear she would qualify for a TN visa as she doesn't meet any of the categories - she's in marketing/advertising.

Is there any way this can happen or is it basically impossible for her to work while I'm on a TN visa?

Thanks

Unless she qualifies for some sort of visa that allows her to work, no, she cannot work in the US.

And no, you cannot just enter the US on a TN and then apply to adjust status for a Green Card. You have to have someone to sponsor you, like immediate family, or your employer. Your employer is not likely to sponsor you immediately either, unless you're just that great at what you do. I think you have to be there a few years anyhow before they could sponsor you.

Thanks for the information. A few more questions:

1. If my brother just recently got his green card (he's a few months away), could he sponsor me (while I'm on my TN or not)? Could he sponsor my wife too?

2. Is it possible to come down on a TN and then switch to a J1, without having to come back to Canada in between? (I'll be working at in university lab - this particular institution does do J1's)

3. Is there a TN category that works for people in marketing/advertising?

Thanks!

Permanent residents are not eligible to sponsor siblings. If your brother was a US citizen, and you were under 21 years old, he could sponsor you.

Permanent residents can only sponsor spouses, or their own children. However, they usually have to wait about a decade for a visa to become available.

The other stuff, I have no idea. You'd be better off speaking with an immigration lawyer who is familiar with J visas and/or TN visas to find out about your wife's eligibility.

Hello,

My question is similar to what has already been posted except that I would potentially be eligible for a J visa or an H1-B visa. I am a Canadian with a PhD in Biology and will be moving to the US most likely under a TN visa. My wife is also a Canadian citizen and is going to have to stay in Canada for two years while she finishes school. Hopefully, after this time she will be able to join me. The problem is that she will not be able to apply for her own TN visa because TN visas specify that she must have three years of work experience in her profession. I am wondering if there is any type of visa I can switch to/apply for while in the US that will allow my wife to join me and start working.

Thank-you

The L1 visa will allow your wife to file for her work permit in the event you're able to obtain it. You must be already working for a company in Canada for more than 1 year who is willing to transfer you to the same company rooted in the U.S.A.

You are also eligible as a TN Biologist as you have pointed out and in that scenario your wife could accompany you as a TD or Totally Dependant Status but she would not be able to work as a TD.

If she converts her college credits and/or diploma into a Bachelor's degree, she would be eligible for TN Status without the work experience prerequisite otherwise required for diploma holders. Thus she would just have to locate an employer who will sponsor her TN.

Once she does that, she can accompany you into the working world of the U.S. independently.