As of September 2023, all industries, with the exception of four, have a worker shortage. See Here. U.S. employers are in urgent need of qualified professionals and looking to Canada may very well be the answer.
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Tn (Trade NAFTA) visa status allows Canadian citizens who work in specialty occupations to work in the United States on a temporary employment visa for up to three years at a time. It is the easiest and fastest way for a Canadian to work in the U.S. and, likely, the easiest and fastest way for an employer to fill a position with a foreign professional. Some of these specialty occupation positions include accountants, architects, computer systems analysts, engineers, teachers, nurses and many more.
Hiring employees on TN status grants numerous benefits to employers:
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o  There is no cost to the employer. Employers are not required to pay for the cost of obtaining TN status. Additionally, for Canadians, the cost is only a $56 border processing fee.
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o  TN status applications for Canadian citizens are processed instantly and at any time of year. With a properly prepared application, Canadian citizens can obtain TN visa status at a US port of entry and begin work immediately. Other employment-based visas can take several years before the employee can begin work.
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o  TN status is indefinitely renewable. As noted above, positions offered to TN status candidates must be temporary and no longer than 3 years. However, the visa is renewable indefinitely. Accordingly, employers can hire employees for as short as one day or as long as three years. But, if the employer’s need for the employee continues, the TN status can be renewed.
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o  There is no annual cap. Many employment-based visas, such as the H-1B, have an annual cap that restricts how many visas will be granted annually.
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o  Gone are all of the demands of the employer to spend time and money to bring in foreign professionals. TN status only requires the employer to provide a support letter detailing their need for the employee and the classification and details of the offered job. We can help with this!
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Have questions or need help on where to start? Contact Pillar Immigration Services for a free consultation today!
Written by Elisa Wiegand