These are defined to require at least a bachelor s degree or specified credentialing, and experience demonstrating that the beneficiary is a professional. Among the professions covered is that of registered nurse. They will also need to obtain a letter outlining the professional nature of the job, the proposed length of stay, the beneficiary s educational credentials, evidence that the beneficiary has the required state license, and how the beneficiary will be paid. They will be given leave to enter the US for one year. Applications for extensions may be filed, and there is no limit on the amount of time a person can remain in the US on a TN visa.
Mexican nurses go through a different process.
Also, while there is no limit on the number of TN visas that can be issued to Canadians, there is an annual limit of 5,500 for Mexican citizens. This is because H-1B visas require a bachelor s degree to be the minimum qualification for entering the field and the INS takes the position that a bachelor s degree is not required to be a registered nurse. However, in some cases, nurses can obtain H-1B visas. For example, nurses who will be working in a supervisory or highly specialized capacity might be able to obtain one, and if the facility demonstrates that it requires all the nurses it employs to possess a bachelor s degree, obtaining an H-1B visa will be easier. The Department of Labor has determined that there are some job occupations in which there is a chronic shortage of workers, one of which is registered nursing.