Read the general professional work overview
Hypothetical example: a Mission CPA with an offer from a U.S. accounting firm has a degree, a professional designation and a résumé, yet the document an officer reads first is the employer's letter. The Accountant listing accepts a baccalaureate degree or a CPA, CA, CGA or CMA designation; the letter must connect that credential to accountant duties, a temporary period and an identified employer. Everything else in the file supports the letter or corrects a gap in it. Hypothetical example: A Canadian actuary receives a U.S. offer whose letter says only that she will provide financial support. The decision is whether to request a revised letter before travel. The record that settles it is a signed description tying the actual actuarial duties, employer, period and compensation to the listed profession. A generic offer cannot be repaired by a detailed résumé. Put the credential document directly behind the letter so the reader can test the claimed qualification without searching.
Write the letter to answer the officer's four questions
The officer needs to know that the position is a listed profession, that the duties are professional accounting rather than bookkeeping, that the period is temporary and stated, and that the employer is identifiable and the applicant is not its owner. A letter on letterhead that names the role as Accountant, describes audit, tax-preparation or financial-reporting duties, states the requested period of up to three years and the salary, and is signed by an authorized person answers all four. A letter written by the applicant and signed by a friend at the firm answers none convincingly. If the offer is through a Canadian firm placing her with a U.S. client, the letter should come from the Canadian employer and describe the client arrangement. Before finalizing the package, make a one-page fact table with the employer's legal name, reporting manager, work location, dates, title, duties and credential basis. Ask the signer to confirm every entry against the business's own records. That exercise often catches a staffing-agency name, a client location or an ownership fact that needs explanation. The decision is whether the file presents an employee relationship or a disguised independent practice; do not leave that distinction to an oral answer.
Match the credential evidence to the alternative claimed
If the file relies on the CPA designation, bring the current membership certificate or a regulator letter showing good standing; a designation that has lapsed for non-payment does not qualify on the day of application. If it relies on the degree, bring the original diploma and transcript, and note that the degree need not be in accounting for the Accountant listing, though an unrelated degree invites questions about the duties. Both may be presented. A degree from an institution outside Canada, Mexico or the United States requires a credential evaluation; a Canadian degree does not. Foreign-language documents need complete certified English translations under the USCIS rule. Before finalizing the package, make a one-page fact table with the employer's legal name, reporting manager, work location, dates, title, duties and credential basis. Ask the signer to confirm every entry against the business's own records. That exercise often catches a staffing-agency name, a client location or an ownership fact that needs explanation. The decision is whether the file presents an employee relationship or a disguised independent practice; do not leave that distinction to an oral answer.
Anticipate the questions the letter cannot answer
Citizenship is proven by a passport, not by the letter; permanent residence does not qualify. Ownership is proven by silence only if there is nothing to disclose, so a small shareholding in the U.S. firm should be declared and explained. Temporary intent is judged from the whole picture, including whether the family is selling the Mission home, and an honest answer about a three-year assignment is better than a rehearsed one. A dependant spouse in TD may study but not work. Assemble the file in the order the officer will read it: passport, letter, credential, then supporting records, with a one-page index on top. Before finalizing the package, make a one-page fact table with the employer's legal name, reporting manager, work location, dates, title, duties and credential basis. Ask the signer to confirm every entry against the business's own records. That exercise often catches a staffing-agency name, a client location or an ownership fact that needs explanation. The decision is whether the file presents an employee relationship or a disguised independent practice; do not leave that distinction to an oral answer.
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.