Do not decide from the gap alone. Assess the listed profession, actual qualifications and current opportunity.
Use the rule that applies
Identify any credential or professional-practice question relevant to the role. Avoid inventing a universal recent-employment requirement or assuming every old credential resolves the current case.
Start with the credential itself: awarding institution, program, completion record and, where the diploma or certificate route applies, evidence of the required experience. Management Consultant is a listed profession, and its rule is a baccalaureate or licenciatura degree, or five years of experience as a management consultant or in a field of speciality related to the consulting agreement. Before the employer finalizes its support letter, match the real assignment to a profession listed under USMCA and verify that profession’s precise degree, licence, or experience rule. Identify the engineering work, the supervision responsibilities and the qualifications actually required; a position called engineer does not qualify merely because that word appears in the offer. The occupation must be one of the listed USMCA professions; the applicant must personally hold the qualification that entry requires; the employment must be prearranged with a United States employer or entity; and self-employment is not permitted. The condition is unchanged by the departure: the applicant must be a Canadian or Mexican citizen engaged in prearranged professional activity in a listed USMCA occupation, holding the qualification that occupation specifies.