TN Visa - Industrial Designer

Background of Industrial Designer TN Visa Category

  • The TN visa occupational category for Industrial Designers was not listed in the initial version of the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) in 1989 (the predecessor to NAFTA). See 54 Federal Register 12 (Jan. 3, 1989).

  • The Industrial Designer occupation was later added to the FTA in 1992. 57 FR 33272 (July 28, 1992). It was then carried over and included in the NAFTA list of available occupations in 1994. See 58 FR 69205 (Dec. 30, 1993). All NAFTA occupations were carried over into the USMCA.

TN Visa Industrial Designer Applicant Requirements:

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

    • Bachelor’s (Baccalaureate) degree;

    • Licenciatura Degree;

    • Post-Secondary Diploma and three years experience; or

    • Post Secondary Certificate and three years experience.

  • Additional information on the educational background of Industrial Designers may be found in the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). See Royal Siam Corp. v. Chertoff, 484 F.3d 139, 145 (1st Cir. 2007).

TN Visa Industrial Designer Job Duty Requirements:

  • The TN visa regulations do not specifically define the types of Industrial Designer 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.