New TN Employee Request

A “new” TN employee is a foreign national either new to Emory employment or new to TN status. This person could be in the U.S. in another non-immigrant status and desires to switch to the TN category for employment purposes or is in their home country of Canada or Mexico and desires to enter the U.S. for purposes of employment at Emory.

There are two tracks available to apply for TN status:

Apply outside the U.S. at the consulate/port of entry/preflight inspection center.
Apply inside the U.S. to change status to TN or to extend an existing TN status.

Please choose the appropriate track and follow the instructions accordingly. Note the differences for Canadian and Mexican nationals when applying for TN status. Mexican citizens must apply for a visa stamp at the U.S. consulate, while Canadian citizens can apply directly at the port of entry or pre-flight inspection center.

Track One: Applying Outside the U.S.

1. Fill out and submit Peoplesoft DRF request.

Obtain access to the ISSS functions in Peoplesoft. Navigate to http://emory.hr.emory.edu/eu/managerstoolkit/ index.html, click on “HR Data Access Requests”, and follow the instructions. Be sure to check “ISSS functions” on the list. (note: this must be done by the department representative. The TN may not access the ISSS section of Peoplesoft.)
Attend training at ISSS. Training is offered once a month and you can sign up at through Peoplesoft Self-Service, Learning and Development. The course is part of the HR Rep Certification Course and is entitled: Bringing the World to Emory. You must attend training to be granted ISSS Request Access in Peoplesoft.
You may download an instructional Powerpoint presentation for further reference at http://www.emory.edu/ISSS/admins/h1b/new.html.

Access Peoplesoft at https://psofthr.cc.emory.edu and log in using your assigned log-in and password
Complete the on-line request form according to the instruction manual (item 2), for prospective/continuing employees in H-1B1, TN, or O-1 status.
Print out a copy of the online request form after electronic submission, and collect appropriate signatures on the form, to include:
- Departmental Supervisor of Prospective TN Employee
- Departmental Chair
- Medical School only: Dean’s Designee (Denise Farmer)
Submit print out of electronic submission with signatures together with supporting documentation listed below to ISSS (North Decatur Building, Suite 130)

2. Gather copies of required documentation.

Passport ID page evidencing Mexican or Canadian citizenship
Professional license or certification (if applicable)
Evidence of academic qualifications, i.e., diploma (copy and original)
TN Information Form completed by the foreign national

3. Draft employment letter. The letter should include the following:

Exact Job Title and corresponding profession it relates to as listed on the Approved list of TN Professions. (The list is found at http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/en/view.aspx?x=343&mtpiID=147#Ap1603.D.1 );
Detailed description of job duties;
Rate of Pay, including benefits and any potential bonuses;
How long services are required, not to exceed three years, with statement that employment is temporary;
Hours projected to work (i.e. 40 hours/week)
Background on institution, establishing that Emory University is an existing institution, to include how long the institution has been in existence (e.g. since 1915), number of current employees (e.g. 16,837), and projected yearly gross income (e.g. $2.1 billion).

4. Submit all documentation to ISSS, along with checklist and compliance form. ISSS will review the materials and the letter. Please do NOT send the letter to the employee until it has been reviewed and approved by ISSS. Once approved, the letter with revisions if applicable should be sent to prospective TN, who will then either apply for entry in TN status at preflight inspections or port of entry if Canadian National, or apply for a TN visa stamp at a U.S. Consulate if a Mexican National and then enter the U.S. in TN status.

Track Two: Applying Inside the U.S.

1. Fill out and submit Peoplesoft DRF request.

Obtain access to the ISSS functions in Peoplesoft. Navigate to http://emory.hr.emory.edu/eu/managerstoolkit/index.html, click on “HR Data Access Requests”, and follow the instructions. Be sure to check “ISSS functions” on the list. (note: this must be done by the department representative. The TN may not access the ISSS section of Peoplesoft.)
Attend training at ISSS. Training is offered once a month and you can sign up at through Peoplesoft Self-Service, Learning and Development. The course is part of the HR Rep Certification Course and is entitled: Bringing the World to Emory. You must attend training to be granted ISSS Request Access in Peoplesoft.
You may download an instructional Powerpoint presentation for further reference at http://www.emory.edu/ISSS/admins/h1b/new.html.
Access Peoplesoft at https://psofthr.cc.emory.edu and log in using your assigned log-in and password
Complete the on-line request form according to the instruction manual (item 2), for prospective/continuing employees in H-1B1, TN, or O-1 status.
Print out a copy of the online request form after electronic submission, and collect appropriate signatures on the form, to include:
- Departmental Supervisor of Prospective TN Employee
- Departmental Chair
- Medical School only: Dean’s Designee (Denise Farmer)
Submit print out of electronic submission with signatures together with supporting documentation listed below to ISSS (North Decatur Building, Suite 130)

2. Gather copies of required documentation.

Letter addressed to International Student and Scholar Services from the department or division head or his/her designee providing:
- the actual job title, also include exact profession as indicated in the list of Recognized TN Professions (The list is found at http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/en/view.aspx?x=343&mtpiID=147#Ap1603.D.1); description of job duties, qualifications required for the position, dates of employment (not to exceed three years), and salary
- licensure requirements for state or locality; or if no license is required, the non-existence of such requirements,
- an affirmation of the temporariness of the employment.
Copy of letter of appointment, written contracts, or summaries of oral contracts between the department and the worker.
Copy of diplomas and/or transcripts. Documents not in English must be translated by someone competent to do so. Foreign credentials must be evaluated by a recognized credentials evaluation service to demonstrate that a foreign degree is equivalent to its U.S. counterpart (see http://www.emory.edu/ISSS/scholars/j1/credential.htm for a list of credentials evaluators).
Copy of license(s) or certification(s), if applicable to the profession • Copy of two or three letters from former employers or training program directors detailing professional training and experience.
Reprints of up to three published research articles, if applicable.
Curriculum vita or resume: must include the following information: (vitae and resumes without this information will be returned)
- current address, address outside the U.S. (this must be a valid mailing address to be used by a U.S. Consulate to notify the Mexican national to schedule the processing of the TN visa stamp, or the USBCP preflight inspections or port of entry official to appear for TN processing), date of birth, province/country of birth, country of citizenship;
- statement of work history for the past six years (name of employer, location of employment, dates of employment, immigration classification while employed if inside the U.S.);
- list of publications

TN Information Form completed by the foreign national
Fees: Fees may be paid via check or money order, payable to Department of Homeland Security. For money order or departmental check requests, the address is: Department of Homeland Security - USCIS, Vermont Service Center, 75 Lower Weldon Street, St. Albans, VT 05479.

ENCLOSE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER WITH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. DO NOT MAIL IT TO USCIS. Separate checks/money orders are required for each fee.

TN worker Form I-129 fee: $320
Dependents Form I-539 fee: $300 (flat fee regardless of number of dependents; no fee required for dependents outside the U.S.)
If change of status is needed:
- Copy of current visa stamp
- Copy of I-94 card (front and back)
- Employment authorization card (if applicable)
- Copy of all current and previous I-20s and/or DS-2019s
- Be certain that the copies are dark enough to visibly show the red entrance date stamps and other notations added to the documents by federal officials.
If worker is in TN status:
- Copy of all current and previous I-797s (Notice of Approval) if applicable
- Copy of current visa stamp (Mexican nationals only)
- Copy of I-94 card (front and back)
- Copy of all previous I-20s and/or DS-2019s (if applicable)
- Be certain that the copies are dark enough to visibly show the red entrance date stamps and other notations added to the documents by federal officials.
If dependents are filing:
- Form I-539 for first dependent, Supplement I for additional dependent
- Copies of I-94 for each dependent (front and back)
- Copies of passport identification pages for each dependent – must include same information as that required for the TN employee
- Copies of visa stamps for each dependent (if applicable)
- Copies of I-20s, DS-2019s, and/or I-797s for each dependent, as applicable
- Dependents outside the U.S. need not complete Form I-539.

3. Submit all documentation to ISSS, along with checklist and compliance form.

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New TN Employee Request

Track One: Applying Outside the U.S.

Track Two: Applying Inside the U.S.

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