Proposal to Extend TN Visa to Three Years Announced

In an effort to address the lack of immigration reform by Congress, the Bush Administration has announced a series of reform measures to be implemented within the boundaries of existing law. In addition to border security and worksite enforcement measures, the Department of Homeland Security proposed an extension of NAFTA TN visa status to a period of three years – similar to the current status afforded H-1B visa holders:

The Department Of Homeland Security Will Extend The Visa Term For Professional Workers From Canada And Mexico To Attract More Of These Talented Workers To The United States. The United States must compete for foreign professional workers, and those who elect to lend their talents to the U.S. economy should be welcomed with open arms, not given a bureaucratic runaround. Yet the roughly 65,000 workers who enter the United States each year on the TN visa must go to the trouble of renewing their visa every year. This regulation will extend the TN visa duration to three years – the same term as other popular professional visas.

It remains to be seen whether and when this proposal will go into effect. Stay tuned for updates…Read DHS Announcement.