IN THIS GUIDE · Prove the profession and the years of experience before a Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury freelancer accepts a U.S. payroll offer
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Decide which limb of the profession's rule you are using
Every Appendix 2 profession carries its own qualification rule, and Graphic Designer offers two: a baccalaureate, or a post-secondary diploma together with three years of experience. A DEC is a post-secondary diploma, so the case rests on the experience limb. That choice determines the evidence. A degree case needs a transcript; an experience case needs proof of three years of professional practice. Do not describe the diploma as if it were a degree, and do not let the employer's letter claim a qualification the applicant does not hold.
Turn freelance history into experience a border officer can read
Freelance work leaves invoices, contracts, published work and client correspondence rather than a single employer letter. Gather dated client engagement letters, invoices showing design services, and where possible short confirmation letters from the larger clients stating the period and the nature of the work. Tax filings showing self-employment income in design corroborate the timeline. Present the material chronologically so three continuous or cumulative years are visible without narration.
Close the door on U.S. self-employment
The apparel company must employ her, set her work and pay her wages; a contract under which her Québec sole proprietorship invoices the U.S. company would look like self-employment in the United States, which TN does not permit. Ask the employer to issue an ordinary offer letter naming the position, its duties, the salary and the period. If she intends to keep serving Québec clients from her home business, that continuing activity should be disclosed and reviewed, since her ownership of any business is a fact the file should state.
Choose the port of entry or the petition deliberately
As a Canadian citizen she may present the file at a port of entry or preclearance location and does not need a visa stamp, or the employer can file Form I-129 with USCIS in advance. The port route gives a same-day answer but puts the experience evidence in front of an officer with limited time; a petition allows a longer explanation but takes weeks. Pick the route that suits the strength of the experience file, and note that any accompanying spouse or child in TD status may study but not work.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.