Read the general professional work overview
For the Registered Nurse profession, Appendix 2 requires a state or provincial licence or a Licenciatura degree, and U.S. hospitals additionally require the licence of the state where the nurse will practise. A Shannon nurse's TN file therefore turns on licensing documents: her OIIQ permit satisfies the TN rule, but the employer's letter and the officer will expect the state licence or its interim authorization too. Sequence the state licensing before the border, and build the file around both documents.
Know which licence answers which question
Hypothetical example: a Shannon registered nurse with a bilingual practice is recruited by a hospital in New York State. The TN rule for Registered Nurse is satisfied by a provincial licence, which her Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec permit is, or by a Licenciatura degree. That answers the immigration question. The employer's own question is different: it cannot let her practise without the New York licence, which requires the examination and an application process of its own. Officers routinely expect to see the state licence or a documented interim authorization alongside the support letter, because without it the prearranged employment is not credible. Two licences, two purposes, one file.
Assemble the credential, citizenship and employer documents in that order
Her passport proves Canadian citizenship, which TN requires and which permanent residence cannot replace. The OIIQ permit and a good-standing confirmation, her nursing diploma and transcript, and certified English translations follow. Then the New York licence or the licensing board's confirmation of eligibility and any interim permit. The hospital's support letter should name the profession as Registered Nurse, describe the clinical duties, state the unit, salary and period, and cite both licences. Some professions also require a health-care worker certification for admission; her file should confirm whether that applies and include it if so. A résumé and the offer close the folder.
Time the licensing so the border is the last step, not the first
State licensing is the long pole. The nurse should begin the New York application as soon as the offer is serious and should not give notice in Shannon until the licence or interim authorization is issued, because a TN application at the port of entry without it risks refusal and an employer that cannot put her to work. A Canadian citizen may then apply for admission at the border with the complete file, or the hospital may file Form I-129 for a written approval first. Her spouse and children may seek TD status, which permits study but not employment; a spouse who intends to work needs a separate route planned in parallel.
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.