Before an employer drafts the support letter, identify the specific claims the file must establish: citizenship, an identified professional position, and the credential the listed occupation actually requires. Give each claim a record and a person who can confirm it, which produces a useful review file without inflating the description beyond the real job. The practical decision is whether the available records prove the real employment arrangement without embellishment. Hypothetical example: a Canadian urban planner is engaged by a U.S. water-district consultant, but the consultant’s draft says she will ‘advise independently’ while the offer gives the consultant control of her work. Resolve that wording before the file is assembled. The classification requires an employer-directed professional position and the applicant’s matching qualification; it is not a vehicle for self-directed work.
Start with the duty that genuinely needs clarifying
Hypothetical example: a Québec City offer describes both technical analysis and client-facing coordination in the same role. Ask the hiring manager for an ordinary week's work and the expected deliverables, and keep both types of activity in the working account. The reviewer needs to assess the real position against the listed profession, not a title chosen to make the fit look cleaner. Turn the weekly-duty account into a short table: task, percentage of time, work product, supervisor, and supporting record. This makes the later support letter testable and exposes mixed roles that require a candid explanation.
Keep employer facts and credential facts on separate tracks
The employer confirms the role, remuneration and intended period; the applicant supplies the actual qualifications and identity evidence. Retain original credential names, including any Québec-specific designation or professional-order membership, and identify whether translation or evaluation is actually required. An employer's confidence in a candidate is not proof of a degree or licence. Check names, dates, and legal entities across the passport, degree, translations, offer, and support letter. A translator can make a French record readable, but cannot resolve a mismatch in the underlying facts.
Resolve any discrepancy before anyone signs
Compare the offer, any client or agency agreement, and the proposed support letter side by side. Identify the current version and ask the responsible party to explain any material difference. Disclose ownership interests and the true employer relationship. The finished account should describe the actual job, with open questions flagged for legal review rather than smoothed over with consistent wording. Make one person responsible for confirming the final version and preserve prior drafts as working records, not exhibits. If an agency, client, or employer cannot reconcile a material difference, pause and obtain a truthful account before filing or travel.
What else is on your mind?
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?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.