The NAFTA treaty of the 1990s created a special visa category reserved for workers from Canada and Mexico. The Trade NAFTA or "TN" visa is similar to the H-1B Visa but lasts for only one year. However, a TN visa can be renewed annually as long as the applicant continues to meet the requirements. Like other employment-based visas, TN holders can also bring their spouses and minor children along with them.
In addition to being indefinitely renewable, TN Visas also offer the advantage of not being subject to an annual limit, so they are not competitive in the way that H-1B Visas are. Unlike the H-1B Visa, TN Visas are not "dual-intent" visas so an individual with a TN visa may not become a permanent resident without first changing visa category. And although the TN Visa is not time-limited, the applicant is supposed to show that his or her work in the United States is not planned to be indefinite.
Mexican or Canadian nationals who have substantial work experience or university training and who have a firm offer of employment that uses their skills should contact a San Francisco TN Visa attorneys for more information.