Complete List of 63 TN Visa Eligible Professions 

The TN visa job list contains exactly 63 professional occupations approved under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This comprehensive list of TN visa professions helps Canadian and Mexican professionals determine if their occupation qualifies for TN status. Use the searchable table below to find your profession, verify minimum qualifications, and confirm licensing requirements.

Quick Reference: If your job title matches one of the 63 TN-eligible professions below and you meet the education or licensing requirements, you can apply for TN visa status. Modern job titles (like “Software Engineer”) often map to official USMCA categories (like “Computer Programmer”).

All 63 TN Visa Professions: Searchable Directory

Search Tip: Use your browser’s search function (Ctrl+F on Windows, Cmd+F on Mac) or the table’s built-in filter to quickly locate your profession by keyword.

Profession	Category	Minimum Qualification	License Required?
Contabile	Affari	Bachelor’s in accounting	No (CPA optional)
Agricoltore	Scientific	Bachelor’s in agriculture	No
Animal Breeder	Scientific	Bachelor’s in animal science	No
Animal Scientist	Scientific	Bachelor’s in animal science	No
Apiculturist	Scientific	Bachelor’s in entomology/biology	No
Architetto	Engineering	Bachelor’s in architecture OR state license	Yes (most states)
Astronomo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in astronomy	No
Biochimico	Scientific	Bachelor’s in biochemistry	No
Biologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in biology	No
Chef	Culinary	Diploma in culinary arts + 3 years exp	No
Chimico	Scientific	Bachelor’s in chemistry	No
College/University Professor	Istruzione	Appropriate credentials for position	No
Computer Programmer	IT	Bachelor’s in CS OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Analista di sistemi informatici	IT	Bachelor’s in CS OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Scienziato del settore lattiero-caseario	Scientific	Bachelor’s in dairy science	No
Data Processing Manager	IT	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Dentista	Healthcare	D.D.S./D.M.D. + state license	Yes
Dietista	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in nutrition OR license	Varies by state
Disaster Relief Claims Adjuster	Professional	Bachelor’s + 3 years exp (employer in Canada/Mexico)	No
Economista	Social Science	Bachelor’s in economics	No
Ingegnere	Engineering	Bachelor’s in any engineering discipline	No
Entomologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in entomology	No
Epidemiologo	Scientific	Master’s in epidemiology/public health	No
Forester	Engineering	Bachelor’s in forestry OR state license	Varies by state
Genetista	Scientific	Bachelor’s in genetics	No
Geologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in geology	No
Geofisico	Scientific	Bachelor’s in geophysics	No
Designer grafico	Creative	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Direttore dell'hotel	Affari	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Orticoltore	Scientific	Bachelor’s in horticulture	No
Progettista industriale	Creative	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Progettista d'interni	Creative	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Geometra	Engineering	Bachelor’s in surveying OR state license	Yes (most states)
Architetto del paesaggio	Engineering	Bachelor’s in landscape architecture	Varies by state
Lawyer (Attorney)	Legal	J.D./LL.B. + bar admission (any state/province)	Yes
Legal Assistant/Paralegal	Legal	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Bibliotecario	Istruzione	M.L.S. or B.L.S. degree	No
Consulente di gestione	Affari	Bachelor’s OR substantial experience	No
Matematico	Affari	Bachelor’s in mathematics	No
Tecnologo di laboratorio medico	Healthcare	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	Varies by state
Meteorologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in meteorology	No
Nurse (Registered)	Healthcare	State RN license OR Licenciatura in nursing	Yes
Nutrizionista	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in nutrition	No
Terapista occupazionale	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in OT + state license	Yes
Farmacista	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in pharmacy + state license	Yes
Farmacologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in pharmacology	No
Physician (Teaching/Research Only)	Healthcare	M.D./D.O. degree (clinical practice NOT eligible)	No
Fisico	Scientific	Bachelor’s in physics	No
Fisioterapista	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in PT + state license	Yes
Allevatore di piante	Scientific	Bachelor’s in plant science	No
Scienziato del pollame	Scientific	Bachelor’s in poultry science	No
Psicologo	Healthcare	State license OR Licenciatura degree	Varies by state
Range Manager/Conservationist	Engineering	Bachelor’s in range management	No
Terapista ricreativo	Healthcare	Bachelor’s in recreational therapy	No
Research Assistant (Post-Secondary)	Istruzione	Bachelor’s degree	No
Tecnico scientifico/Tecnologo	Scientific	Diploma + 3 years experience	No
Assistente sociale	Social Science	Bachelor’s in social work OR state license	Varies by state
Scienziato del suolo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in soil science	No
Statistician	Social Science	Bachelor’s in statistics/mathematics	No
Teacher (K-12 or Post-Secondary)	Istruzione	Bachelor’s degree OR state certification	Yes (K-12 public schools)
Scrittore di pubblicazioni tecniche	Professional	Bachelor’s OR diploma + 3 years exp	No
Urban Planner/Geographer	Social Science	Bachelor’s in urban planning/geography	No
Veterinario	Healthcare	D.V.M./D.M.V. OR state license	Yes
Consulente professionale	Istruzione	Bachelor’s in vocational counseling	No
Zoologo	Scientific	Bachelor’s in zoology	No

Modern Job Title Equivalents:

• Software Developer/Engineer → Computer Programmer
• Data Scientist → Statistician or Computer Systems Analyst
• UX Designer → Graphic Designer
• Business Analyst → Management Consultant or Economist
• Nurse Practitioner → Registered Nurse (requires RN license)

Can’t find your profession? Read our complete TN visa guide covering eligibility requirements, application process, costs, and renewals.

TN Visa Profession Categories

The 63 TN-eligible professions fall into 8 major occupational categories. Understanding your professional category helps identify related occupations and alternative TN classification options.

Scientific & Technical (22 professions): Biologist, Chemist, Engineer, Geologist, Physicist, Statistician, Meteorologist, Geneticist, and specialized scientists

Healthcare (14 professions): Registered Nurse, Physical Therapist, Dentist, Pharmacist, Veterinarian, Medical Laboratory Technologist, Occupational Therapist, Recreational Therapist

IT & Technology (3 professions): Computer Programmer, Computer Systems Analyst, Data Processing Manager

Business & Finance (6 professions): Accountant, Management Consultant, Economist, Hotel Manager, Mathematician

Engineering & Architecture (6 professions): Architect, Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engineer, Landscape Architect, Land Surveyor, Forester

Education & Social Services (8 professions): Teacher, Professor, Librarian, Social Worker, Vocational Counselor, Research Assistant

Legal & Professional Services (4 professions): Lawyer, Legal Assistant/Paralegal, Disaster Relief Claims Adjuster, Technical Publications Writer

Creative & Design (3 professions): Graphic Designer, Industrial Designer, Interior Designer

TN Visa Qualification Requirements by Category 

Education Requirements 

Bachelor’s Degree Required: Most TN professions require a bachelor’s degree in a directly related field from an accredited institution. Engineering, scientific, healthcare, and business categories typically mandate four-year degrees.

Diploma + Experience Alternative: Computer programmers, systems analysts, graphic designers, and several other professions accept post-secondary diplomas (2-year programs) combined with 3 years of relevant work experience.

Advanced Degrees: Epidemiologists require a master’s degree in epidemiology or public health. Librarians need M.L.S. or B.L.S. degrees.

Experience Only: Management Consultant is the only TN profession that accepts substantial professional experience as a substitute for formal education—though documentation requirements are stringent.

Licensing Requirements

Always Required:

• Healthcare professions (Dentist, Pharmacist, Veterinarian, RN, PT, OT)
• Legal professions (Attorney requires bar admission)
• Land Surveyor (most states)
• Architect (most states)

Sometimes Required:

• Dietitian, Psychologist, Social Worker (varies by state)
• Forester, Landscape Architect (certain states only)
• Teacher (K-12 public schools require state certification)

Never Required:

• Most scientific professions (Biologist, Chemist, Physicist)
• IT professions (Programmer, Systems Analyst)
• Business professions (Accountant, Economist)

Foreign Credentials

Degrees earned outside the U.S., Canada, or Mexico require credential evaluation from approved agencies:

• World Education Services (WES)
• NACES member agencies
• Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

Cost: $150-$500 depending on degree complexity and processing speed.

Does Your Job Qualify for TN Status?

Your position must satisfy three requirements:

1. Profession Match: Job title or duties align with one of the 63 USMCA-designated professions
2. Minimum Qualification: You possess required education (degree/diploma), experience, or professional license
3. Duty Alignment: Daily responsibilities reflect professional-level work appropriate to the TN category

Common Job Title Mismatches

Example 1: Software Engineer vs Computer Programmer

A “Software Engineer” typically qualifies as “Computer Programmer” if duties focus on writing, testing, and maintaining code. If the role emphasizes system architecture, it might fit “Computer Systems Analyst.”

Employer Letter Solution: Your U.S. employer’s letter must explain how the Software Engineer position’s duties align with Computer Programmer requirements under USMCA.

Example 2: Data Scientist

Data Scientists may qualify under:

• Statistician (if work involves statistical modeling and analysis)
• Analista di sistemi informatici (if work focuses on data systems and software tools)
• Matematico (if theoretical mathematics is central)

Example 3: Marketing Manager

“Marketing Manager” doesn’t appear on the TN list. However, if responsibilities include strategic consulting and organizational development, classification as Management Consultant may work—though this requires demonstrating substantial expertise.

TN Visa Professions Without Degree Requirements 

While most TN categories require bachelor’s degrees, these professions offer alternative qualification paths:

Profession	Alternative to Bachelor’s Degree
Computer Programmer	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Analista di sistemi informatici	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Data Processing Manager	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Designer grafico	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Progettista industriale	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Progettista d'interni	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Direttore dell'hotel	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Legal Assistant/Paralegal	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Scrittore di pubblicazioni tecniche	Post-secondary diploma + 3 years experience
Consulente di gestione	Substantial professional experience (no diploma required)
Chef	Culinary diploma + 3 years experience

Important: “Post-secondary diploma” means formal education beyond high school from a recognized institution—not certificates or online courses.

What If Your Profession Isn’t Listed?

If your occupation doesn’t appear on the TN visa job list, TN status is not available. Consider these alternatives:

• H-1B Visa: Available for any “specialty occupation” requiring a bachelor’s degree (not limited to specific professions)
• L-1 Visa: Intracompany transfers for managers, executives, or specialized knowledge workers
• O-1 Visa: Individuals with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics
• E-2 Visa: Treaty investors starting or purchasing U.S. businesses (requires substantial capital investment)

Ambiguous Cases: If your job is 70% eligible profession + 30% non-eligible duties, consult an immigration attorney before applying. Borderline classifications frequently result in denials without proper documentation.

Need Help with TN Profession Eligibility?

Tondini Law specializes in TN visa profession classification for professionals with:

• Non-traditional degree combinations
• Job titles that don’t match official USMCA categories
• Foreign credentials requiring evaluation
• Multiple employers or complex employment arrangements

Our TN Profession Services:

• Eligibility assessment and profession matching
• Employer letter drafting and review
• Credential evaluation coordination
• Port of entry or consular application preparation
• Denial remediation and reapplication strategy

Contact Tondini Law:
📞 (760) 434-7000
📧 info@tondinilaw.com
📍 5050 Avenida Encinas, Suite 300, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Serving Canadian and Mexican professionals nationwide with specialized TN visa expertise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many professions qualify for TN visa?

Exactly 63 professional occupations are eligible under USMCA. This list hasn’t changed since the treaty’s implementation, though modern job title interpretations continue evolving.

Can I qualify for TN without a degree?

Only Management Consultant can qualify based solely on substantial professional experience. Nine other professions (Computer Programmer, Graphic Designer, etc.) accept post-secondary diplomas + 3 years experience instead of bachelor’s degrees.

What is the NAFTA professional list?

The NAFTA professional list originally contained 63 occupations when NAFTA took effect in 1994. USMCA (implemented 2020) maintained the identical profession list, so “NAFTA professional list” and “TN visa occupation list” are interchangeable.

Do software engineers qualify for TN visa?

Yes, if duties align with “Computer Programmer” or “Computer Systems Analyst” requirements. The employer letter must clearly explain how the Software Engineer position matches one of these official USMCA categories.

Can nurses get TN visas?

Registered Nurses qualify for TN status with either a valid U.S. state RN license OR a “Licenciatura” degree in nursing. Nurse Practitioners also qualify under the Registered Nurse category if they hold RN licensure.