TN Visa: Psychologist

Background of Psychologist TN Visa Category

  • The TN visa occupational category for Psychologist 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 Psychologist 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 Psychologist Applicant Requirements:

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

    • State or Provincial License; or

    • Licenciatura Degree.

  • Initially, under the United States-Canada Free-Trade Agreement (the predecessor to NAFTA) it was proposed that an individual could qualify as a Psychologist based solely on possession of a bachelor’s degree. 55 FR 6694 (Feb. 26, 1990).

  • However, after community input recommending that the requirement for psychologists be increased to the holding of a doctorate, or a state or provincial license, the FTA working group increased the requirement for Psychologists to possession of either a state or provincial license. 56 FR 480 (Jan. 7, 1991).

  • The rule implementing NAFTA retained the FTA’s requirements for a Psychologist, but added possession of a Licenciatura Degree (the first tier of higher education in Mexico) as an alternative credential for qualification as a Psychologist. 58 FR 69205 (Dec. 30, 1993).

  • Additional information on the educational background of Psychologists 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 Psychologist Job Duty Requirements:

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