TN Visa - Disaster Relief Insurance Adjuster

Background of Disaster Relief Insurance Adjuster TN Visa Category

  • The TN visa occupational category for Disaster Relief Insurance Adjusters 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 Disaster Relief Insurance Adjusters was 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 Disaster Relief Insurance Adjuster Applicant Requirements:

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

    • Bachelor’s degree or Licenciatura Degree, plus successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims; or

    • Three years of experience in claims adjustment, and successful completion of training in the appropriate areas of insurance adjustment pertaining to disaster relief claims.

  • Initially, under the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement (the predecessor to NAFTA) an individual could qualify as a Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster based on possession of a bachelor’s degree, or three years’ experience “in the field of claims adjustment.” 54 FR 48575 (Nov. 24, 1989).

  • Additional information on the educational background of Disaster Relief Insurance Adjusters 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 Disaster Relief Insurance Adjuster Job Duty Requirements:

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

  • The legacy INS' NAFTA Handbook places additional requirements on the Disaster Relief Insurance Claims Adjuster category. Specifically, applicants must submit documentation of one of the following:

    • The President of the United States, or a state statute, or a local ordinance has declared a disaster event;

    • The Property Claims Service of the American Insurance Services Group has assigned a catastrophe serial number to the disaster site; or

    • Property damage at the disaster site exceeds $5 million and represents a significant number of claims by an association of insurance companies representing at least 15 percent of the property casualty market in the U.S.

  • 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.