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TN Visa

TN Renewal and Changing Employers: Your Options

By Growth FLPC

Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer, attorney, is responsible for this content. Farmer Law PC, Austin, Texas. General information, not legal advice.

Short answer: To stay past a TN end date, the employer can file Form I-129 with USCIS for an extension of up to three years while the worker is in the United States. Or the worker can apply for a new period of admission before the current one ends: Canadians at a port of entry with a new employer letter, and Mexicans with a valid TN visa. There’s no set limit on the number of extensions. Changing or adding an employer works differently. The new employer must file Form I-129, or the worker must apply again at the border or consulate, and the worker can’t start for the new employer until that’s approved.

Renewing TN with the same employer

Option 1: Extension with USCIS (no travel needed)

  • The employer files Form I-129 with USCIS.
  • The worker must be physically in the United States when it’s filed.
  • USCIS can approve up to three years at a time.
  • Evidence typically includes a letter describing the continuing job, plus proof the worker still holds any license the profession or the state requires.
  • If the worker has to travel while the request is pending, the employer can ask USCIS to notify the consulate or port of entry when it’s approved.

Working while it’s pending. If the extension was filed on time, the worker can keep working for the same employer for up to 240 days after the current stay expires, under 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(20). If USCIS denies the extension during that time, the permission to work ends when the denial is issued.

Option 2: A new admission at the border or consulate

  • Canadian citizens can apply at a port of entry for a new period of admission of up to three years before the current one expires. They need a new letter from the employer and the fee.
  • Mexican citizens need a valid passport and a valid, unexpired TN visa. If the visa has expired, they apply for a new one at a U.S. embassy or consulate first.

Is there a limit? Not on the total. USCIS says there’s no cumulative limit on time in TN status, as long as the worker keeps doing TN work and still intends to stay temporarily.

Short trips during a valid TN period

A worker can be readmitted for the rest of the current TN period on their existing I-94 record without a new letter, if the job and employer haven’t changed and the I-94 hasn’t expired.

Changing or adding employers

TN status is tied to the employer named in the approval or admission. A new employer’s filing alone doesn’t let the worker start.

  • New or second employer through USCIS. The new employer files Form I-129 with a letter describing the services, how long they will take, and the pay. Work for the new employer isn’t authorized until USCIS approves it.
  • Canadian citizens at the border. A Canadian can leave and apply for readmission at a port of entry with the new employer’s documents.
  • Mexican citizens at a consulate. A Mexican citizen can present the new employer’s documents to a consular officer with a new TN visa application.
  • Same employer, new location. A transfer to another branch or office of the same employer, doing the same work, needs no new filing. A move to a separately incorporated subsidiary or affiliate does.
  • A change in the job itself. Readmission on an existing I-94 works only if the original professional activities and employer haven’t changed. A new role in a different listed profession needs a new application.

If the TN job ends

A TN worker whose job ends isn’t treated as out of status solely for that reason for up to 60 consecutive days, or until their authorized stay ends if that’s sooner. This applies once per authorized validity period, and DHS may shorten it. The worker can’t work during that time unless otherwise authorized. They can use it to have a new employer file for TN, or to apply to change to another status if eligible.

Spouses and children

TD family members can extend with the principal. Inside the United States, they file Form I-539 with proof of the TN worker’s continued status. TD family members still can’t work, though they may study.

FAQ

How long is a TN extension?
Up to three years at a time, whether USCIS grants it on Form I-129 or the worker is readmitted at the border with a new letter.

Is there a limit on how many times TN can be renewed?
There is no specific limit on the total time in TN status, as long as the worker keeps working at a professional level in a TN job, maintains status, and still intends to stay temporarily.

Can I start my new TN job as soon as the new employer files?
No. Work for a new or additional employer isn’t authorized until USCIS approves the new employer’s Form I-129. A Canadian can instead apply at a port of entry with the new employer’s letter, and a Mexican citizen can apply for a new TN visa at a consulate.

Can I keep working while my TN extension is pending?
If the extension was filed on time, you can keep working for the same employer for up to 240 days after your current stay expires. That permission ends if USCIS denies the extension.

What happens if I lose my TN job?
You generally have up to 60 consecutive days, once per authorized validity period, or until your stay ends if sooner, to find a new employer or change status. You can’t work during that time unless otherwise authorized.

Does my spouse need to renew too?
Yes. A TD spouse or child can extend along with you, or inside the United States on Form I-539 with proof of your continued TN status.

Sources (checked 2026-10-19)

  • 8 CFR 214.6(g), (h), (i), (j), eCFR (current as of 10/15/2026): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/subpart-A/section-214.6
  • 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2) (60-day period), eCFR: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/subpart-A/section-214.1
  • 8 CFR 274a.12(b)(19) and (b)(20) (240-day continued employment), eCFR: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-274a/subpart-B/section-274a.12
  • USCIS, TN USMCA Professionals (last reviewed 06/04/2025): https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/tn-usmca-professionals
  • USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part P, Chapters 4 and 5: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-p
  • CBP, Traveling on a TN or L1 Visa from Canada?: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/canadian-and-mexican-citizens/traveling-tn-or-l1-visa-canada

Attorney Advertising. Kyle Farmer is the attorney responsible for this website. Farmer Law PC’s principal office is in Austin, Texas. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Using this site or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please don’t send confidential information until we confirm we can represent you. This article is general information, not legal advice.