DOL'S REVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK MAY IMPACT TN VISAS

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has recently updated and redesigned its Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Applicants for TN visas (and other non-immigrant visa classifications like the H-1B visa), should review the occupational descriptions provided in the OOH to confirm that any changes do not affect their eligibility.

U.S. immigration officials rely on the OOH in determining whether an applicant possesses appropriate credentials for an occupation. They also refer to the OOH to determine whether a job offer falls within one of the TN occupational categories. If an individual's credentials or job offer are not consistent with the OOH, U.S. immigration officials may question eligibility for TN visa status.

Besides the applicable regulations and guidelines, individuals seeking TN visa status under one of the more problematic TN visa categories such as the Computer Systems Analyst, Management Consultant, or Engineer (Software) categories, should thoroughly review the DOL's revisions to the OOH prior to applying for their TN visas.