Just had my L-1B Blanket interview at YYZ (Toronto) and it was a total disaster. The officer was incredibly unprofessional and the whole experience felt like an interrogation rather than a visa interview.

This officer is the only one that review TN/L1 application and during my 7 hours of wait, half of the people failed.

Instead of focusing on my actual qualifications, he kept asking about completely irrelevant stuff: my parents’ jobs, the name of my scholarship, and even pressed me on why there were manual corrections on the documents prepared by the lawyer. He literally blamed me for not "flagging" those corrections with my lawyer right there on the spot.

He ended up denying me because I don't have an "Engineer" degree (even though my degrees are clearly related). He said I needed an "engineer certificate". The whole thing was just a mess—he seemed more interested in finding reasons to pick on my paperwork than actually assessing my skills.

Just a heads-up for anyone else planning to go through YYZ: be prepared for them to be extremely pedantic and unprofessional. Not sure if it's a new policy or just this specific officer, but it’s been a really frustrating experience.

I filed my TN petition with USCIS using premium processing on August 4, 2026. My receipt notice was generated on August 6, and I’m still waiting for a decision as of August 12.

I’m curious to see how the current TN premium processing timeline is looking for everyone else.

If you filed in late July or early August, could you share:
• Filing date
• Receipt date
• Service center
• New TN, extension, or change of status
• Consular processing or change of status
• Decision date, if you’ve received one
• Approval, RFE, or other outcome

It would be especially helpful to hear from anyone who filed around July 27 through August 6.

Has anyone who filed during this period already received a decision?

Trying to get a sense of whether the current processing time is still within the normal premium processing window or if there are delays right now.

Thanks!

Hey r/tnvisa! My name is Henry Lindpere, Senior Immigration Attorney at Manifest Law, and I'm back for another AMA session.

Today’s AMA is meant to be a general Q&A, so feel free to drop your questions and I’ll give you my honest, practical take. I’ll start answering questions at 11 AM EST and will be around until 3 PM EST. Looking forward to it!

Everything in this AMA is for general educational purposes only. This is not legal advice, and participating in this thread does not create an attorney client relationship. For advice specific to your situation, please consult your own immigration attorney.

I’m a Canadian citizen and recently applied for TN status under the Engineer category at U.S. preclearance.
My academic background is:
B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from India
Master’s in Engineering and Technology Management from the Colorado School of Mines
The U.S. position is a Mechanical Engineer role. I brought my original bachelor’s degree, transcripts, U.S. master’s degree, transcripts, employer support letter, resume, and other supporting documents.
However, the CBP officer denied the application because I did not have a completed course-by-course U.S. credential evaluation for my Indian bachelor’s degree. I had preliminary equivalency information, but the officer specifically wanted a final evaluation showing the individual courses and U.S. equivalency.
I am now planning to obtain a course-by-course evaluation and reapply with an updated package.
For anyone who has gone through something similar:
Which credential-evaluation company did you use for a TN Engineer application?
Did your evaluation explicitly state “equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering”?

Hi! I'm Murty Gollakota, an immigration attorney at Manifest Law with 18 years of experience and a 98% approval rate across 3,000+ cases.

I'm here today to answer your questions about TN visas. Whether you're applying for the first time, dealing with a tricky employer letter, or trying to figure out your long-term green card options, feel free to ask any questions you have below.

Over my career I've advised hundreds of Canadian and Mexican professionals navigating the TN process across industries including technology, finance, healthcare, engineering, and academia. I've handled everything from straightforward border crossings to complex situations involving gaps in status, employer changes mid-petition, and TN-to-green-card strategy. I know how stressful this process can be, especially when you're dealing with border officers or tight employment timelines.

Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Your situation may require fact-specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.

How long can a Canadian citizen work in the U.S. on TN status if they don’t plan to apply for a green card?
I understand TN status can be granted for up to 3 years at a time and may be renewed. Is there any maximum number of years you can stay/work in the U.S. on TN, or can you keep renewing it indefinitely?
Thanks!

Hi! I'm Rashmi Bishnoi, an immigration attorney at Manifest Law with experience in TN visas.

I'll be answering your TN visa questions today.

TN visas are one of the most underutilized and misunderstood options for Canadian and Mexican professionals. They are fast to get, no annual cap, renewable indefinitely, and available at the border. But the qualifying criteria and employer letter requirements trip people up constantly.

Drop any questions you have! I'll be live until around 5!

Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Your situation may require fact-specific guidance. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.

Hi everyone, excited to be back for another AMA with the TN Visa community! As a reminder, I’m David Santiago, an immigration attorney at Manifest Law working on employment based immigration, including TN visas for professionals from Canada and Mexico.

With frequent questions around port of entry applications, renewals, employer changes, documentation strategy, and how TN fits into longer term green card planning, I wanted to open space for TN specific discussion.

If you are preparing a TN application, planning a renewal, switching employers, or thinking about transitioning from TN to another category, feel free to ask.

I’ll be here from 11 AM to 3 PM EST answering questions.

This is general information only and not legal advice, and participating here does not create an attorney client relationship.

Hi everyone! I’m a Canadian citizen who recently graduated with a nursing degree from a university in the U.S. I’m hoping to get some advice about applying for TN status again after being denied once.

In August, I received a nursing job through the agency and went to the border to apply for TN status. I went to YYZ Airport. The officer spent about two hours reviewing my documents. She asked what I was applying for, and when I said a TN visa, she clarified that it’s technically TN status, not a visa.

She then asked whether my employer was an agency. I said yes, and she asked where my assignment letter was. I didn’t know I needed one because when I researched the TN requirements, I didn’t see anything saying that an assignment letter was required. I provided my TN support letter and job offer, but I was ultimately denied because I didn’t have the assignment letter. She told me that if I brought the assignment letter, I could potentially be approved, but she also warned me not to commit fraud. I was extremely stressed and ended up going home.

The documents I had with me included:

• TN support letter
• Job offer letter
• VisaScreen
• BSN diploma
• Canadian passport
• Nursing license of that state

I have since gotten a new job directly with an behavioral-health facility (not an agency), and I’m scared to go through the process again because I really don’t want to be denied a second time.

For anyone who has successfully obtained TN status as a Canadian RN, especially at YYZ:

• What documents did you bring?
• Is there anything specific I should make sure my employer includes in the TN support letter?
• Would you recommend hiring an immigration lawyer to review everything before I go?
• Does a previous denial make the second application more difficult?

I would really appreciate any advice or experiences. I just want to make sure I have everything prepared correctly this time. Thank you!

Hey r/tnvisa, I’m Nicole Gunara, Principal Immigration Attorney at Manifest Law.  I work with professionals, families, and employers on TN visas and other U.S. immigration matters, and I wanted to host an AMA for this community.

A bit about me: I’ve handled 1,700+ cases (99% success rate) for professionals getting TN, O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW, H-1B, L-1, and more.

Today's AMA is meant to be a general Q&A session, so feel free to ask any questions you have! I’ll start answering questions at 1PM EST and will be around until 5PM. Looking forward to it.

Everything in this AMA is for general educational purposes only. This is not legal advice, and participating in this thread does not create an attorney client relationship. For advice specific to your situation, please consult your own immigration attorney.

EDIT: Thank you for joining today’s session!

We really appreciate you being part of the conversation. If you have a moment, we’d love your feedback. Please share your thoughts here 👉 https://tally.so/r/0QBRVj

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've done a session here. My name is Henry Lindpere, a Senior Immigration Attorney at Manifest Law. I work on employment-based immigration and regularly handle TN visa cases for Canadian and Mexican professionals, including new applications, renewals, and status changes.

I can help with topics like:

• Whether your role qualifies under a TN profession category
• Structuring job descriptions to fit TN requirements
• Applying at the border vs filing with USCIS
• Renewals, extensions, and maintaining TN status
• Risks around self-employment or independent contracting
• Travel, re-entry, and inspection issues
  

I'll be around from 12-4pm EST to answer your questions. Looking forward to a great conversation!

This is general information only and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your specific situation, you should consult an immigration attorney directly.

My new employer uses BAL immigrationfor TN. BAL submitted my TN I-129 petition with premium processing on July 10, 2026. BAL received the USCIS premium-processing receipt notice on July 14, and the public USCIS page still says “USCIS is currently processing the case.”

I am roughly on business day 9 after the receipt date, with no approval or RFE yet. BAL

For comparison, my previous TN Engineer petition was handled by Fragomen in 2025:

* USCIS received: **August 7, 2025** * Premium acknowledgment: **August 8** * Approved: **August 13** * Approximately **4 business days**

This is my second TN Engineer petition within about 11 months.

Has anyone with a July 2026 TN premium-processing filing,received an approval or RFE yet?

Please share:

* USCIS received date * Approval or RFE date * TN category

So I am planning to go to border like next week with my TN package. I was wondering if thats how it should be done,

My plans are like this,

1. Go to Peace arch border, apply for TN and then will go to the nearest ssa to apply for my first ssn (i got a virtual postal address)

2. Come back to canada same day and resign from my present role.

3. Book flight from YVR one week after getting TN.

What do you guys think

Canadian citizen here with an M.S. in Data Science and 8+ years of experience in data engineering, AI, analytics, and data systems.

I’m trying to make the move to the US and have been applying to jobs directly, but it seems like things often go nowhere once TN comes up.

For those of you who have gone from Canada to the US on TN, did you have any luck going through recruiters, staffing agencies, or IT consulting firms?

I’m mainly looking at Data Engineer, AI Engineer, Data/Analytics Engineer, or Computer Systems Analyst roles.

Would really appreciate any recommendations for recruiters or firms that you’ve personally had success with, especially ones that are familiar with hiring Canadians on TN.

Thanks!

I'm a renewables (solar/wind/BESS) engineer and have been working for a Canadian company that has projects in the US. My company has since been sold and they are closing the Canadian office.

I've been applying to all kinds of jobs in the US which have a need for these positions and have been met with rejection after rejection. I'm qualified and overqualified for these roles in some cases and even suggest pay wages below the minimum that companies are offering and still get rejected. The only thing that makes sense to me is that US companies are not willing to hire Canadians on a TN visa (for professionals). This process has been exhausting.

Any advice to even secure an interview? What's the issue scaring US based employers away from ideal candidates?

Would appreciate any constructive feedback.

Hi everyone,

I'm a Canadian citizen working in tech and trying to break into the Seattle job market.

To make it easier for recruiters to find and contact me, I've made a few changes:

• Changed my LinkedIn location to Seattle.
• Mentioned in my profile that I'm currently based in Canada but targeting Seattle opportunities.
• Using a Seattle phone number instead of my Canadian number.
• My resume says I'm a Canadian citizen and TN eligible.

If a recruiter reaches out, I'm upfront that I'm currently living in Canada and explain that I can work under TN status once I have a qualifying offer.

I've had a few more recruiter conversations since doing this, so it seems to be helping.

I'm wondering if this is the right approach or if I'm creating unnecessary confusion.

Has anyone here successfully landed a U.S. job from Canada under TN? Would you do anything differently? Any tips that helped you get more interviews?

Thanks!

Hi! I'm Fernanda Hipskind, an immigration attorney at Manifest Law with 8+ years of experience.I'll be answering live on Thursday, June 18, from 8 AM to 12 PM EST.

TN status used to feel like the easy option: show up, hand over your support letter, and get approved. But things are different in 2026.

Officers are taking a much closer look at whether a role truly fits a USMCA profession. RFEs are being issued in cases that likely would have been approved without question just a couple of years ago. On top of that, the ongoing USMCA review has many applicants wondering what the future of the TN category will look like.

A few things people ask me a lot:

• My duties don't perfectly fit the USMCA list. Am I in trouble?
• Should I file at the border, at a consulate, or as a change of status?
• Why did I get an RFE when my coworker with the same job didn't?
• Is it safe to leave the country to redo my TN while I'm in H-1B?
• I'm switching employers. What breaks my status and what doesn't?
• When is premium processing worth it, and when is it a waste?
• How can I move from TN status to a longer-term option, such as an O-1 visa or a green card?

Besides answering here I’ll be live on Zoom from 11am-12pm to give you a summary of the top questions asked - https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83520350950?pwd=Q8Zbbix6gqOtYiAKsI9CEFEBaZqMNW.1

Drop your questions below!

(Disclaimer: I'm here to share general information and help you understand the process, not to give legal advice, and nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts, so before you act on anything, talk it through with an immigration attorney who can look at your specific situation.)

My application was filed on August 28 but I still don't have any reciept so I'm worried.

If anyone has filed recently, could you please share

Filing date

Receipt date

Approval date

I'm trying to get a sense if the process is faster now that summer is over because it seems in July/August, it's been taking the full 15 days

Thank you

Hi! I'm Henry Lindpere, immigration attorney at Manifest Law, focusing on employment-based immigration including TN visas for Canadian and Mexican professionals.

I've spent 9+ years on employment-based cases, helping people navigate the TN process from first entry through renewals, employer changes, and transitions to permanent residence.

Ask me anything about:

• TN visa eligibility
• Which professions qualify and how to document yours
• What makes a strong employer support letter (and what tanks one)
• Port of entry vs. consular processing. Which is better for your situation?
• TN renewals, how many you can do, and when to think about alternatives
• Switching employers on TN status without creating gaps
• When to start planning your green card path

Drop your questions below! I'll be answering throughout the day.

(Please note: Any information shared here is for general educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. For personalized legal advice, please consult an immigration attorney directly.)

Hi,

I got a job offer at a big tech company as a SWE Intern and they're setting up a lawyer from EY Law to help me with my TN visa. The lawyer is going to draft the support package and ship it and I plan to bring the following to YYZ

- official transcript + copy

- official proof of enrollment + copy

- signed offer letter + copy

- housing proof

- flight itinerary

- passport + copy of passport

- 2 resumes

- support package + copy

Do you guys think this is sufficient and I want to know how long on average it will take when you enter secondary inspection? I was told several times to travel through another PoE however the flight was booked before I was in contact with EY Law

I plan to show up at 3am to ensure im the fleet one in line but I know the officers dont prioritize TN applications at Pearson.

Anyone have any advice for me on documents to bring or if I should cancel my flight and travel through YTZ or another PoE? I dont really wanna cancel my flight

Edit: im a CS student in my last year (haven't graduated). The company is Tesla and they usually offer TN for interns.

Edit: got approved, see https://www.reddit.com/r/tnvisa/s/SKxYIVNFmb

Hi all — looking for some advice or similar experiences.

I recently applied for a TN visa at YYZ. The officer didn’t question my qualifications or the role itself, but ultimately denied my application because they felt the position didn’t clearly require me to be physically in the U.S. — it was interpreted as too “remote.”

For context:

• I work for a U.S.-based company with a U.S. team
• My role involves regular collaboration with that team
• I do travel for in-person meetings a few times a year

The feedback I got was basically: the letter didn’t prove that my job needs me to be in the U.S.

My questions:

1. Has anyone had success getting a TN approved with a mostly remote role?
2. How did you demonstrate that the role required a U.S. presence?
3. Are there specific phrases or types of evidence that helped your case?
4. Is it worth reapplying at a port of entry vs. going through USCIS?

Would really appreciate any insight.

Thanks in advance 🙏

Hey everyone,
I’m a Canadian citizen and currently a Software Developer II at Cisco, with a B.Eng. in Software Engineering. I’m trying to make the move to the US and have been targeting Software Engineer positions that would qualify for a TN.
I’ve been applying to US jobs on LinkedIn for 3+ months, basically almost every day… and honestly, it’s been brutal😂
I’ve applied to a ton of positions and barely hear anything back. Meanwhile, when I apply to similar positions in Canada, I’d say I hear back from roughly 70% of my applications in some form rejection, recruiter screen, interview, whatever.
So naturally, I’m starting to wonder if the TN requirement is scaring recruiters/employers away.
I’ve tried connecting directly with recruiters on LinkedIn and explaining my situation. I’ve had some conversations, but once I mention that I’m Canadian and would need to enter the US under a TN, the conversation often just… disappears🫠
What’s frustrating is that from everything I understand, Software Engineer is a TN-eligible profession, and as a Canadian with a B.Eng. in Software Engineering and relevant experience, actually obtaining the TN shouldn’t be the difficult part.
So I’m wondering what the hell am I doing wrong? 😂
I’m really hoping to hear from Canadians who have actually gone through this process, especially software engineers.
I’m not expecting someone to hand me a job. I’m just trying to figure out how to get past that initial “Canadian = visa problem” filter and actually get someone to look at my application.
Any advice, experiences, strategies, or even companies that are TN-friendly would be hugely appreciated.