Your TN Status and Changing Employers

If you were invited to the United States on a TN status work visa by a certain company, then there are things that you should know regarding your TN status should you ever consider changing employers.  Understanding these factors will help you in the long run.

Your TN Status and Changing Employers

As a TN visa professional, you can change employers during your initial period of admission.  What you should consider doing, should this situation arise, is having the new employer complete and file a form I-129.  This form will also require your new employer to provide substantial supportive documents that detail what your new position is and what you will be doing, for how long, and so forth.  The issue that arises here is that you cannot officially begin working with the new employer under the new TN status form is approved.  The turn around time for approval is anywhere from one to three months.

With this information in tow, you may want to employ a bit of strategy and have the new company submit form I-129 to you to take directly to the Canadian border.  Once at the border you can explain that you need to change your employer.  If this is not an option, you can pay a $1000 filing fee to the USCIS, along with form I-907 and all of your paperwork.  Send the package directly to USCIS and request that premium processing be done.  The turnaround time for this service is just about 15 calendar days.

Crossing the Border

If you decide to go up to the border, then you should have :

• All of your paperwork ,
• A $56 filing fee,
• Form I-94 and
• The filing fees for form I-94.  

Getting Help

Whatever you chose to do, make sure that you contact USCIS directly for advice on how changing your employer may effect your TN status.  Additionally, you should contact an immigration attorney.  An immigration attorney will give you good advice on how to handle this situation and may even be able to expedite your request in ways not available to you.  Should you decide to contact a lawyer make sure that you have all of your paperwork completely.  Ask him or her if they would not mind reviewing your documentation for you.  An immigration attorney can quickly spot any errors that you may have overlooked.  Additionally, they will know of the subtleties and nuances of immigration law as relative to changing your employer and the effects on your TN status.