Government fees are paid at the port of entry or when Form I-129 is filed, per CBP and the USCIS G-1055 schedule, and are not refunded if the request is refused. Credential evaluations and translations are paid earlier and are also non-refundable, so order them only once the profession is settled.
Pay in the order that risk falls
Hypothetical example: the economist wants to know when money leaves her account. The first outlays are the credential evaluation, if needed, and any certified translations; these are paid to private providers weeks before the filing and are not refundable, so confirm the profession and the letter before ordering them. The government fee comes next: at a port of entry, the CBP fee for TN admission and the I-94; for Form I-129, the USCIS filing fee in the current G-1055 schedule plus optional premium processing paid by the employer.
Neither is refunded on refusal. Agree in writing which costs the employer bears; an employer that pays the petition fee is ordinary, while an applicant paying to create a position for herself points toward self-employment. Relocation, housing deposits and the sale of the New Maryland home are commercial costs that should wait until the admission exists.
A cost review should separate government charges, credential work, translations, travel, and the employer's own filing expenses. It should also identify which cost is due before the decision and which is lost if the matter is delayed. Hypothetical example: an acoustical engineer pays for a rushed translation before confirming that the degree field matches the offered role.
The first reviewer compares the original diploma, course list, and position description before authorizing the translation and any evaluation. That ordering avoids paying for an expert report that answers the wrong question. Keep receipts, but do not assume a receipt proves that the underlying eligibility issue has been resolved.