Read the general eligibility basics overview
Hypothetical example: a Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade physiotherapist who is a Canadian citizen accepts a position at a U.S. rehabilitation clinic. Her husband, a citizen of the United Kingdom with Canadian permanent residence, runs a small bookkeeping practice from home. TN is available to her on her own facts; it is closed to him because permanent residence is not citizenship, and bookkeeper is not a listed profession in any case. This guide sequences the household so that her move does not depend on a status he cannot obtain, and identifies which of his own routes are real.
Assess the citizen on her own facts
Physiotherapist is a listed TN profession with a baccalaureate degree or a state or provincial licence as the credential, so her Québec licence or her degree supports the application. The clinic's offer letter should describe physiotherapy duties, dates and pay. TN does not permit U.S. self-employment; she must disclose any ownership stake and must not hold sole or controlling ownership of the clinic. As a Canadian citizen she may apply at a port of entry with those documents and no visa, or the clinic may file Form I-129. Her husband's status has no bearing on her eligibility, and the file should not try to explain his situation inside her application. Any U.S. state licensing requirement for physiotherapists is a separate professional matter she must satisfy before treating patients.
Bring the spouse as a dependant, and be clear what that permits
TD status is available to the spouse of a TN professional regardless of the spouse's nationality; Canadian citizenship is required of the principal, not the dependant. Because he is not a Canadian citizen, he needs a TD visa from a U.S. consulate before entry, which adds weeks to the plan. In TD status he may study and may not work. Continuing his Canadian bookkeeping practice from a U.S. living room is work performed in the United States and is not authorized, even though every client is in Québec. The couple should decide before moving whether the practice is wound down, transferred to an associate, or paused, rather than discovering the problem at a later border crossing.
Test his own routes rather than waiting on hers
A permanent-resident spouse who wants to work has three honest paths. First, become a Canadian citizen, which reopens TN, though bookkeeping still is not listed and he would need to qualify as an accountant by degree or designation. Second, use his United Kingdom nationality: the United Kingdom is an E-2 treaty country, so he could make funds irrevocably committed and at risk in a substantial investment, own at least 50 percent of or otherwise control a real operating U.S. enterprise, develop and direct it, and show that it is not marginal. E-2 provides no direct path to permanent residence, and his spouse would then be his dependant. Third, obtain a U.S. employer's petition in a classification open to any nationality. Each has its own conditions and none is assumed to be faster than her TN; the household should budget on her salary until one of them is confirmed.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.