If you’re a Canadian or Mexican citizen working in a lab and hoping to move to the United States under a TN visa, there’s good news—Medical Laboratory Technologists and Medical Scientists are among the professions eligible under the USMCA (formerly NAFTA). But there’s a catch: you must work in a lab and you absolutely cannot provide direct patient care. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is a TN Visa?
The TN visa is a non-immigrant visa available to Canadian and Mexican professionals under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. It allows certain qualified individuals to live and work in the U.S. temporarily if they are employed in one of the designated professional categories.
“Medical Laboratory Technologist” is one of those categories. However, the rules are stricter than you might think.
Eligible Titles: Medical Laboratory Technologist or Scientist
To qualify, your job title must be consistent with a Medical Laboratory Technologist (as listed in the USMCA agreement) or Medical Scientist. That means working in a diagnostic or research lab environment—not in a hospital setting where patient interaction occurs.
Acceptable job titles may include:
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Medical Laboratory Technologist
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Clinical Laboratory Technologist
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Medical Laboratory Scientist
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Medical Technologist
Important: Your job must be strictly lab-based. You can’t be drawing blood, taking x-rays, or conducting ultrasounds. Those involve direct patient care and are disqualifying.
What Does “No Direct Patient Care” Mean?
USCIS is clear: roles that include any form of patient interaction, even if just occasional, are not permitted under the TN visa for Medical Laboratory Technologists. That includes:
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Radiologic Technologists
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Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
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Respiratory Therapists
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Surgical Technologists
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Medical Assistants
If your job takes you out of the lab and into a patient’s room, it likely does not qualify for TN status under this category.
Required Education and Training
To be eligible for a TN visa as a Medical Technologist or Scientist, you must have one of the following:
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A bachelor’s degree in medical technology or a related field
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A Licenciatura degree (for Mexican citizens)
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A post-secondary diploma or certificate and three years of work experience in a relevant laboratory-based role
All credentials must align with U.S. standards, which means you’ll also need to obtain a Health Care Worker Certification from an approved credentialing organization like TruMerit (CGFNS) or Josef Silny & Associates.
This requirement applies to both Canadian and Mexican applicants, regardless of where you studied or trained.
Key Documentation for the TN Visa
When applying, you’ll need to present:
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Proof of citizenship (Canadian or Mexican passport)
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A detailed employment offer letter that specifies your lab-based duties
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Educational and professional credentials
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A valid Health Care Worker Certification
Canadian citizens can apply directly at a U.S. port of entry. Mexican citizens must first obtain a TN visa stamp at a U.S. consulate before traveling.
Tips to Strengthen Your Application
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Job Description Matters: Make sure the offer letter clearly states your duties are laboratory-based. Avoid any mention of clinical or patient-facing tasks.
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Title Clarity: Ensure the job title matches the accepted designations—“technician” is not the same as “technologist” or “scientist.”
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Certification Is Mandatory: Even if you’re Canadian and trained in English, the healthcare worker certificate is still required.
Final Thoughts
For Canadian and Mexican professionals working in diagnostic or research labs, the TN visa can offer a straightforward path to work in the U.S. But this category is narrow in scope—you must be a technologist or scientist, not a technician or clinician. If your role includes any form of patient care, even peripherally, it’s unlikely to qualify.
To avoid delays or denials, consult a legal professional experienced in TN visa applications. And if you’re working with a staffing firm, be sure they understand the difference between eligible and ineligible positions under this category.
