TN Spotlight: Silviculturist

The TN category permits citizens of Canada and Mexico to enter the U.S. to provide prearranged professional services to a U.S. employer or entity. Based on the regulations, there are 63 professional occupations under which an individual may qualify. One such occupation is a Silviculturist.  

How to Qualify as a Silviculturist 

To qualify for TN status as a Silviculturist, an applicant must possess one of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree;
• Licenciatura degree; or
• State/provincial license.

Typical Silviculturist Job duties

A Silviculturist often manages public or private forested lands for purposes of recreation and conservation. Silviculturists often tend to the trees and aim to control forest regeneration, growth, quality and composition. Silviculturists are trained to identify pests and tree diseases to keep them healthy and growing. They may be employed by government, environmental organizations, or logging companies. With adequate understanding and skills of the role of light, crowding, and methods of harvesting and replanting, many assist in the regeneration of forests.

Typical job duties include:

• Diagnosing diseases, pruning, and treating trees invaded by pests; 
• Properly fertilizing trees; 
• Removing and planting trees;
• Conducting research; 
• Suggesting ways to improve forest and tree health; and 
• Educating the public on the important of tree health.   

Application Process

For citizens of Canada, applicants can submit a TN petition to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at any land port of entry or airport preclearance location throughout Canada. A decision will be made on the spot, and, if approved, the applicant can begin working in the U.S. the same day.

For citizens of Mexico, applicants need to schedule and attend an in-person interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Upon approval, he or she will be issued a TN visa which can then be used to gain entry to the U.S. in TN status.

If you are interested in applying for a TN visa or have questions about this specific category, be sure to contact Berardi Immigration Law today! If you would like to learn about some of our successful TN applications, please visit our NAFTA News Center here.

Published 8 October 2020