Read the general professional work overview
Every TN profession has one qualification rule, and the file should be built around the document that satisfies it. For a Boischatel land surveyor, that is either a baccalaureate in surveying or a provincial or state licence; the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres permit is that licence. Identify the deciding document, obtain it in original with translation, and have the employer's letter cite it precisely, so the officer's first question is already answered.
Find the profession's rule before drafting anything
Hypothetical example: a Boischatel arpenteur-géomètre is offered boundary and construction-layout work by a Maine surveying firm. The Land Surveyor entry in Appendix 2 accepts a baccalaureate or a state, provincial or federal licence. Her permit from the Ordre des arpenteurs-géomètres du Québec is a provincial licence and satisfies the rule on its own; her degree satisfies it separately. The point is to know which line of the appendix applies and to make that line the spine of the employer letter. A file that leads with years of experience when the rule asks for a licence is answering a question nobody posed.
Assemble the deciding document and the records that make it credible
Obtain the current permit certificate and a confirmation of good standing from the Ordre, together with the degree and transcript, and certified English translations. Add a passport as proof of Canadian citizenship, since TN is limited to Canadian and Mexican citizens and permanent residence does not count. The employer's letter should name the profession, describe the duties in surveying terms, state the period and the pay, and cite the licence by number. If the surveyor holds any shares in the U.S. firm, disclose the stake and have it reviewed against the self-employment restriction before travel rather than at the counter.
Decide where the file will be read and prepare for that reader
A Canadian citizen may apply for TN admission at a port of entry with the file in hand, or the U.S. employer may file Form I-129 with USCIS and obtain a written approval first. For a clean licence-based case the port of entry is efficient; for a case with a prior refusal or an ownership complication, the written petition removes the risk of a same-day refusal at the Maine border. Either way the surveyor may not start work, including any remote work for the U.S. firm from Boischatel, until the status question has been resolved with counsel. Spouse and children may seek TD status, which permits study but not employment.
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.