The TN visa was created under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It is reserved for Citizens of Canada and Mexico. TN status permits the individual to work in a position that is on the narrow list of occupations allowed by the treaty. How we handle TN sponsorship is informed by both Federal regulations and USC’s internal institutional policies and systems.
TN holders must intend to return to their home country at the end of their TN stay. In other words, they cannot have U.S. legal permanent residence as an objective when entering the U.S.
At CSUN, all TN requests must be submitted by the hiring department to Faculty Affairs. Departments are advised to submit requests to Faculty Affairs a full 3 months prior to the needed start date. Later submissions carry an increasing risk that the need cannot be met. TN extension requests should be made to Faculty Affairs a full 3 months in advance. The individual and the department are jointly responsible for making sure the request comes to us timely.
Department TN NAFTA Request Form
The CSUN Job Offered Must Qualify for TN Status. The occupation must be listed in the NAFTA Treaty Appendix , and must require a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a specialty field. The job must meet the minimum education requirements in the NAFTA Treaty Appendix and the department must be offering a full-time, fully benefits-eligible position. TN status can be requested for up to 3 years at a time.
The individual requesting TN status must possess the minimum education and experience required for the TN job and have no background issues that would prevent them taking up TN status. TN employment is limited to what is described on the request to the government. If the person’s employment is changing, or the person is changing employers, a new request needs to be made.