Read the general eligibility basics overview
A recruiter may know that someone lives in Fundy Albert and assume a Canadian immigration route is available. Correct that assumption early: Canadian permanent residence is a residence status, while TN principal eligibility requires Canadian or Mexican citizenship.
Give the recruiter a factual answer rather than a prediction
State the citizenship currently held and whether any Canadian citizenship application remains pending. Do not let a proposed start date depend on an unissued citizenship decision. A PR card, Canadian work history or a Canadian degree cannot replace TN’s nationality condition. If the applicant already has Mexican citizenship, assess that citizenship under the applicable TN procedure instead of assuming Canadian residence makes the Canadian admission process available.
Ask what the employer is actually offering to support
Keep recruitment, immigration preparation and permission to work as separate milestones. The employer can clarify duties, location, pay and duration while eligibility is reviewed; none of that changes the citizenship fact. If TN is unavailable, an L-1 inquiry needs a qualifying company relationship, prior qualifying foreign employment and eligible transfer duties. E-2 requires relevant treaty nationality together with qualifying ownership and investment. A recruiter’s willingness to help supplies neither a missing employment history nor an investor’s capital commitment.
Check the relocation package against the household plan
List the people expected to move, their citizenships, relationships and intended work or study. A relocation allowance should not be read as confirmation that a spouse may take employment or that every relative qualifies as a dependent. Ask the employer to distinguish assistance it will provide from immigration outcomes it cannot promise. The immediate result should be an accurate recruitment record and a start-date assumption that remains conditional on the required authorization, rather than a rejected TN premise carried into housing and travel commitments.
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.