Read the general eligibility basics overview
Hypothetical example: a Hanwell occupational therapist is a Canadian citizen; her husband holds Canadian permanent residence and is a national of a European treaty country. Each fact does different work. Her Canadian citizenship can support TN if the profession, position and qualification rules are met, and Canada is also an E-2 treaty country. His Canadian permanent residence alone supports neither TN nor E-2, while his own treaty-country nationality may support a separate E-2 analysis if the enterprise's corresponding nationality, investment and control conditions are met. Sort the household by person before choosing a route.
Permanent residence is not citizenship for these purposes
A permanent resident card proves status in Canada. It does not make its holder a Canadian citizen, and the professional route under the USMCA is open to citizens of Canada and Mexico only. No length of residence, no provincial licence and no employer letter substitutes for that. The practical consequences are concrete: a permanent resident cannot use the professional route, may need a visa to enter the United States depending on his own nationality, and applies through whatever process that nationality requires. Where Canadian citizenship is being pursued, the oath date is the fact that changes the analysis, and it is worth knowing precisely before a household commits to a timeline built around the other spouse's job offer.
Treaty nationality belongs to the person and to the enterprise
Treaty investor status depends on nationality rather than residence, and it is checked twice over: the investor must hold the treaty nationality, and at least half the enterprise's ownership must be held by nationals of that same treaty country. A household with two different nationalities has to decide which one the enterprise will be built on, because mixing them can leave neither test satisfied. Hypothetical example: if the husband's European nationality is the basis, the company's shares should be held accordingly, and his wife's Canadian citizenship adds nothing to that particular ownership calculation. Decide the ownership structure before incorporating anything, because unwinding a share register afterwards is expensive and looks contrived.
Dependants are assessed one at a time, and a dependant cannot work
If the therapist enters in a professional category, her husband would be admitted as her dependant. A dependant of that kind may accompany and may study, but may not accept employment, regardless of his own nationality or of his Canadian permanent residence. Because he is not a Canadian citizen, he will normally need to apply for the dependent visa at a consular post rather than presenting at a port of entry, which adds a step and a timeline the household should plan for rather than discover. Children are assessed the same way, individually, and derivative status ends at twenty-one for each of them separately. Write the household out as a list of people, not as a family.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?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?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.