TN Visa - Social Worker

Background of Social Worker TN Visa Category

  • The TN visa occupational category for Social Worker 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 Social Worker 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 Social Worker Applicant Requirements:

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

    • Bachelor’s (Baccalaureate) degree; or

    • Licenciatura Degree.

  • Additional information on the educational background of Social Workers 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 Social Worker Job Duty Requirements:

  • The TN visa regulations do not define the types of Social Worker 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 further guidance on the generally accepted job duties for this occupation.

More Information:

Revised April 29, 2023.