(Below is a transcription of this video)
So today we have a question about TN Visas. We get a lot of questions about TN Visas. And today’s question is, “I am a Canadian citizen and I have a job offer in the U.S. However I do not have a university degree. I want to apply for a TN Visa. So what are my options?” That’s a good question because most occupations for TN Visas do require university degrees.
Applying For a TN Visa
If you look at the NAFTA list of occupations, TN Visas are under NAFTA. There’s a number of occupations that you have to qualify for in order to apply for a TN Visa. Most of those occupations do require a university degree.
Jobs That Don’t Require a University Degree
However, there are a few occupations, a few jobs that don’t need a university degree to qualify for a TN Visa, and I’m going to list them for you.
Management Consultant
One is a Management Consultant. A Management Consultant is a general term, but it has a specific definition. And the interesting thing about the Management Consultant is that you don’t have to have a university degree. However, you have to have extensive experience. In this case, it’s five years’ experience or more as a Management Consultant.
Now, the key to a Management Consultant occupation is that it’s something that you have to really investigate in terms of the duties you’ve performed to qualify and it’s not what you think necessarily. It’s not a manager or someone who necessarily manages people. A Management Consultant is more of a consultant, someone who really has experience in troubleshooting, working with a company, getting involved in the organization, and resolving problems. You have to be very careful about whether or not you qualify to Management Consultant, but the point is you do not need a university degree for this.
Scientific Technician or Scientific Technologist
The other occupation is Scientific Technician or Scientific Technologist. Again, it’s a very specific definition. You may or may not qualify for it, but the point is you don’t need a university degree for that either.
Computer Systems Analyst
The other occupation is a Computer Systems Analyst. A Computer Systems Analyst, it sounds pretty straightforward, it sounds pretty simple and it really is. If you are a Computer Systems Analyst most likely you’re going to qualify for the TN visa, but I just want to make a distinction so it’s very clear about what a Computer Systems Analyst is not. And a Computer Systems Analyst is not a Computer Programmer.
Although they related occupations, a Computer Programmer, as most of us know, is someone who writes code, who develops programs, and things like that. A Computer Systems Analyst is more of an occupation that involves systems and working with computer systems and things like that. So you have to be very careful as to how you categorize your background if you apply as a Computer Systems Analyst.
Are You Interested in Applying For a TN Visa Without a College Degree?
So those are the main occupations under the TN list that don’t require a university degree. And, of course, as most of you know, to qualify for a TN Visa you have to be a Canadian or a Mexican. You have to have a job offer. There’s a few other requirements you have to show your experience, you have to show your education. But if you don’t have a university degree, there are options so you have to consider those options and perhaps you’d be able to succeed.
Contact our experienced team today, and let us help you with your TN visa application.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
