Read the general professional work overview
Hypothetical example: a Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade CPA who has kept the books for farms and agri-food businesses is offered the controller position at a U.S. agricultural cooperative. Accountant is a listed TN profession with two alternative credentials: a baccalaureate degree, or a C.P.A., C.A., C.G.A. or C.M.A. designation. She has both, so the question is not eligibility but which document to lead with, and whether the offer letter describes accountancy rather than bookkeeping. This guide orders the file so the officer sees the answer on the first page.
Pick the credential you can prove most cleanly
The Appendix 2 entry for Accountant accepts either a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree, or one of the named professional designations. A Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade accountant with a bachelor of commerce and a current CPA membership card can present both, but should lead with the one whose paper is simplest: a diploma in French requires a certified English translation, whereas a CPA membership letter or card issued in both languages may stand alone. Bring the second credential too. What she must not do is rely on a designation that has lapsed; an officer may ask for proof the membership is current. Experience is not required by the entry, so years of practice help credibility but are not a substitute for either credential.
Make the offer letter describe accounting work
The letter decides the profession. A controller who prepares financial statements, manages the cooperative's audit, sets internal controls and advises the board is performing accountancy. A letter that lists data entry, accounts-payable processing and payroll clerk duties describes bookkeeping, which is not the listed profession even if the title says controller. Ask the cooperative to write the duties accurately, with the reporting line, the start date, the term and the salary, on letterhead, signed by someone with authority. TN does not permit U.S. self-employment, and every ownership stake in the U.S. employer must be disclosed. If the cooperative is member-owned and she will hold a member share, disclose it; a small share in a large cooperative is not the sole or controlling ownership that would bar TN, but the officer should hear it from the file.
Order the packet for a five-minute reading
A TN applicant must be a Canadian or Mexican citizen; Canadian permanent residence alone is not enough. At a port of entry the officer reads quickly, so sequence matters: the offer letter first, the CPA proof second, the diploma and translation third, the passport or citizenship proof, then a one-page summary of the position. If the cooperative prefers to file Form I-129, the same documents form the petition. A Canadian citizen needs no TN visa stamp; admission is for up to three years, matching the term of the offer. If her spouse and children come, TD status permits study but not work, and each person's citizenship evidence should be in the same folder. Keep French originals with every translation, because the certification must state the translator's competence and the translation's completeness.
What else is on your mind?
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?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.