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A Portugal Cove-St. Philip's dietitian offered a U.S. hospital position should gather TN documents in the order that exposes problems earliest: citizenship proof first, then the Appendix 2 entry and its credential rule, then the state licensing position, and only then the employer letter. The letter is written last because it must reflect what the earlier documents prove. Dietitian is a listed profession qualified by a baccalaureate degree or a state or provincial licence, and the position must be prearranged, professional and temporary.
Step one: citizenship, then the list entry
Hypothetical example: a Portugal Cove-St. Philip's registered dietitian who works in a long-term-care setting is recruited by a U.S. hospital's nutrition department. The first document is the Canadian passport, because a permanent-resident card ends the TN analysis before it begins. The second is the Appendix 2 entry for Dietitian, copied out with its qualification: a baccalaureate degree, or a state or provincial licence. The dietitian should then match one of those to an actual document, the degree certificate with transcript or the current provincial registration. If the degree is from outside Canada, the United States or Mexico, order a credential evaluation now, because it takes weeks and the employer letter will need to cite it.
Step two: the state licensing question
Most U.S. states license or certify dietitians, and hospitals commonly require the state credential before the start date. This is separate from TN: the provincial registration may satisfy the Appendix 2 credential rule without permitting practice in the hospital's state. The dietitian should write to the employer asking three questions: which state licence the post requires, whether it must be held on day one, and whether the hospital will accept a licence application in progress. The answer shapes both the start date in the employer letter and the timing of the port-of-entry application. Applying for TN before the licence question is answered risks an approved status that cannot be used.
Step three: the employer letter, written from the evidence
Only now should the employer draft its letter, because every statement in it can be checked against a document already in hand. It should name the profession as Dietitian, describe professional duties such as nutrition assessment, care planning and medical nutrition therapy, cite the degree or licence the dietitian holds, state that the dietitian is a Canadian citizen, give the term of the position and confirm it is temporary. It should not describe management of a department if the post is clinical, and should not use the word permanent. The dietitian applies at the port of entry with the letter, the credential, the passport and the licensing correspondence, and gives notice in Canada only after admission. TD dependants may accompany, study and not work.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.