tn

A major hospital has offered me a job and now they seem reluctant to write the tn letter. They seem confused, etc. and want to know if I have "work authorization" or not. I'm very surprised that they are foreign to this whole process and not really sure how to go about it. I'm rather concerned that they are going to revoke my offer. any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

You do not have authorization to work because you are not 'available for hire' due to not being a legal resident (I'm assuming) in the U.S.

Have you explained the TN process thoroughly to the hospital? If they are reluctant it's because more than likely they hire only locals and U.S. citizens.

Let them know this is of no cost to them and a letter [with all the requirements in it] is all that is needed from them to legally have you work for them providing immigration approve you at the port of entry.

Thanks Dremani - I hope they'll go for it.

I appreciate your help.

If they don’t go for it after you've explained and shown them how easy it is, try elsewhere. You are right that in the nursing world, the TN visa is generally well-known and used. Kind of like in the engineering world.

I think they have placement agencies for nurses and they will help you find work in the US via a TN. I'm not well-versed in this subject, but by all means, look into it. I'm sure you can make this happen with a little effort.

Nursing and engineering are probably amongst the easiest fields to get a TN in.

Best of luck!

Thanks Toronto!

They are making me feel like a criminal telling me that I should have told them upfront, etc. They will need to bring in legal counsel, etc. etc. So frustrating because it really is an incredibly basic process. Oh well.

Thanks for your support.

Yes, this is a shame that they are treating you in this manner, but unfortunately many companies are not aware of the TN nor are they aware that it is quick, easy visa at a low cost. Most companies have heard of the H1B visa and its drawbacks and immediately believe all visas are like this.

We have found when you are able to clearly explain the TN and its ease during an interview you are able to avoid the issues you describe.
Imagine being in an interview and be able to answer your employer's visa questions and concerns and to tell them that you can get the visa yourself and be working within the next 7 to 10 days. That's when an employer starts interviewing you on your skills and puts the visa concerns aside.

Good luck.

Thank you tn visa expert. I appreciate your support. I don't actually think the offer would be on the table if I had explained it in the interview process. Do you know about how many days before my start date I should bring the letter and materials before the border? (assuming the employer approves)

RN makes a good point. It is best to expalin as little as possible about TN at the interview.

All that needs to be said is "As a Cdn I can take care of getting my US work authorization in one day, by simply going to the border with my Offer letter".

Once you get the job offer, you can then get into the (simple) details of what needas to go into the letter. Foe a nurse the letter would likely considt of 2 paragraphs.

The approval can be done in one day.

Thanks agnelson! You are always of great assistance on this board and we all really appreciate it.

For those who are not sure about TN, TN is not a VISA when it is applied to Canadians! It is a VISA for Mexicans only. For Canadians, TN is a status.

When a Canadian with University degrees who is hired by a US company under one of the NAFTA listed TN job titles, all that Canadian needed to apply for the TN status at any US border/Canadian Airport is the official letter of employment, your degree (original only, no photocopies) and/or University transcripts and your resume. The letter must state the job title matching one of the listed TN ones (of course it should be along the same line with what your degree is). The letter should also details the work to be performed and what will be the compensation. Yes, there is a $56US charge for the I-94 card.

The process is really very simple. I have had TN every year in the part 10 years without any problem. The only difference now with Dept of Homeland Security is that you will get all your fingers scanned and a photo shot at the time of TN approval.

For RN, you should try to find an agency to handle things for you they know all about Canadians with TN.