Read the general professional work overview
A Saanich applicant should identify what the offer, payroll records and relevant agreements each establish rather than assume the payer’s name answers every TN question. The decision to make before the border is which organization signs the TN support letter. When a clinic directs the work but a professional employer organization issues the pay, the applicant must decide whether to ask the clinic to sign and explain the payroll agent, or to rely on the PEO’s paperwork alone and risk a letter that describes no supervision.
Establish the actual profession
TN requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship, a listed USMCA profession and its particular qualifications. Describe the actual duties and intended duration, not a category inferred from an administrative provider.
Reconcile the organizations
Explain who offers, directs and pays for the work using accurate records. Disclose ownership; sole or controlling ownership of the US enterprise receiving services raises the self-employment prohibition.
Use the correct procedure
Canadians generally may seek TN admission without a TN visa; Mexicans generally use the visa route, with an employer petition where appropriate. A payroll arrangement does not guarantee eligibility or permission.
Hypothetical example: a physiotherapist paid through a professional employer organization
Hypothetical example: a Saanich physiotherapist with a provincial licence is hired by a US outpatient rehabilitation clinic. The clinic uses a professional employer organization, so the offer letter comes from the clinic but the pay statements, benefits enrolment and tax forms will carry the PEO’s name. The applicant first gathers the state physical-therapy licence or the documented licence application, because the USMCA entry for physiotherapists rests on a degree or a state or provincial licence and the state will also require its own permission to treat patients. She then asks the clinic to issue the TN support letter itself, describing the caseload, the supervising clinical director, the salary, and the intended period of stay, with one paragraph identifying the PEO as the co-employer of record for payroll and benefits. The co-employment agreement is carried as a supporting exhibit. She confirms in writing that she holds no ownership in the clinic, since a controlling stake in the enterprise receiving her services would raise the self-employment bar.
Sequence the letter, the licence and the entry
Order matters. First secure the state licence or a dated confirmation that the licensing board has accepted the application, because a letter that promises a licence later invites questions about whether the applicant is qualified to start. Second, obtain the clinic’s letter and the co-employment agreement, and check that the job title, duties and duration match across both. Third, assemble proof of Canadian citizenship, the degree and licence, and a short curriculum vitae. Canadians present this package at a port of entry or preclearance without a visa stamp, or the employer may file Form I-129 with USCIS. Any TD spouse or child may study but cannot work on TD, so a working spouse needs a route of their own.
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.