No—you cannot seek TN admission this Monday for an October 5 job; the earliest regulation-permitted date is Friday, September 25, and you do not need the SSN before starting work.

(l)(1)

An alien admissible in E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, L-1, or TN classification and his or her dependents may be admitted to the United States or otherwise provided such status for the validity period of the petition, or for a validity period otherwise authorized for the E-1, E-2, E-3, and TN classifications, plus an additional period of up to 10 days before the validity period begins and 10 days after the validity period ends. Unless authorized under 8 CFR 274a.12, the alien may not work except during the validity period.

(e)(1)

A nonimmigrant in the United States in a class defined in section 101(a)(15)(B) of the Act as a temporary visitor for pleasure, or section 101(a)(15)(C) of the Act as an alien in transit through this country, may not engage in any employment, except as provided in paragraph (e)(3) of this section.

Canadian Citizens

You may establish eligibility for TN classification at the time you seek admission to the United States by presenting required documentation to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at certain CBP-designated U.S. ports of entry or at a designated pre-clearance/pre-flight inspection station. You must provide the following documentation to the CBP officer: Proof of Canadian citizenship; Letter from your prospective employer detailing items such as the professional capacity in which you will work in the United States, the purpose of your employment, your length of stay, and your educational qualifications; and Credentials evaluation (if applicable), together with any applicable fees.

Nonimmigrant classes chart

|TN |Professional businessperson from Canada or Mexico (North American Free Trade Agreement) |Legal alien allowed to work |N |

Pages 2–4

If you are unable or choose not to apply for an SSN using one of the methods above, we recommend you wait 10 days after arriving in the United States to apply for an SSN. This will make it easier for us to verify your DHS documents online. This will also speed up the processing of your SSN application. If you are lawfully present in the United States, you should start your application online by visiting our Request a Social Security number for the first time page at www.ssa.gov/number-card/request-number-first-time. To complete the application process, you must visit your local Social Security office or Card Center with the required documents within 45 days of starting the process. Applying for an SSN and card is free.

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To prove your identity and work-authorized immigration status, you will need to show us your current U.S. immigration documents and your unexpired foreign passport. You must present your foreign birth certificate if you have it or can get it within 10 business days. If not, we can consider other documents, such as your unexpired passport or a document issued by DHS, as evidence of your age. All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. However, you must provide at least two separate documents.

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We don’t require you to have an SSN before you start working. While you wait for your SSN, your immigration documents can prove your authorization to work in the United States.

3.0

Employees who have not yet received their Social Security number and who can satisfy all other Form I-9 requirements may work while awaiting their Social Security number.

A case cannot be created in E-Verify without an SSN. Allow the employee to continue to work and create a case in E-Verify using the employee’s SSN as soon as it is available. If you are unable to create a case by the third business day after the employee’s first day of employment, select Awaiting Social Security number when prompted by E-Verify.

FY 2026 HR-1 I-94 fee

The HR-1 I-94 fee for FY 2026 will remain at $24 ($24 + $0). Accordingly, the total fee to apply for a CBP Form I-94 at a land border port of entry for FY 2026 will continue to be $30, consisting of the $6 land border fee and the $24 HR-1 fee. CBP will not assess a fee for aliens arriving at an air or sea port of entry because such aliens are not required to submit an application for a CBP Form I-94.