TN Visa: Geneticist

Background of Geneticist TN Visa Category

  • The TN visa occupational category for Geneticist was first listed in the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) in 1989. See 54 Federal Register 12 (Jan. 3, 1989). The predecessor to NAFTA, the FTA provided work authorization under TC visa status, which was only available to Canadian citizens.

  • The occupational category for Geneticist was carried over and included in the NAFTA list of available occupations in 1994, and then subsequently into the USMCA. See 58 FR 69205 (Dec. 30, 1993).

TN Visa Geneticist Applicant Requirements:

  • To qualify for TN visa status under the occupational category for Geneticist, an individual must possess one of the following:

    • Bachelor’s (Baccalaureate) degree

    • Licenciatura Degree

  • The regulations governing TN visa status generally do not provide any guidance on the type of degrees or majors suitable for a particular TN occupational category.

  • To determine the types of degrees suitable for a Geneticist for purposes of a TN visa, we may refer to U.S. Department of Labor publications such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). See Royal Siam Corp. v. Chertoff, 484 F.3d 139, 145 (1st Cir. 2007).

TN Visa Geneticist Job Duty Requirements:

  • The TN visa regulations do not specifically define the types of Geneticist positions or job duties that are permissible under this TN category.

  • Like the degree requirement, individuals should refer to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) for guidance on the generally accepted job duties for this occupation.

More Information:

Revised April 29, 2023.