Question: Could you please tell me if Veterinary Technician would fall under the TN classification? It did require 2 years of post-secondary education to obtain my license in Ontario.

Reply: A Veterinary Technician position does not appear as a strong candidate for a TN. There is no specific Veterinary Technician category listed in the NAFTA Appendix. The only related category is the Veterinarian category. A Veterinary Technician position most likely will not qualify for a TN under this category.

The TN regulations permit an individual to work in the U.S. provided she performs “business activities at a professional level,” which is described as “those undertakings which require that, for successful completion, the individual has a least a baccalaureate degree or appropriate credentials demonstrating status as a professional in a profession set forth in Appendix 1603.D.1." 8 C.F.R. § 214.6 (c).

A position may qualify for TN visa status under the Veterinarian category if in order to successfully complete the duties of the position, an individual must possess one of the four credentials listed in Appendix 1603.D.1 for the Veterinarian category (i.e., 1. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree; 2. Doctor en Medicina Veterinaria (D.M.V.); 3. Doctor en Veterinaria; or 4. State / provincial license.).

Does a Veterinary Technician position require one of these four credentials in order to successfully complete the duties of that position? No. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, there are primarily two levels of education and training for Veterinary Technicians: 1. a 2-year associate degree; and 2. a 4-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology. The OOH also specifically distinguishes the requirements for veterinary technologists compared to a veterinarian, stating that the level of training required for veterinary technologists is substantially less than that needed by veterinarians.

The other question is what type of licenses are sufficient for the Veterinarian TN category. Generally, to qualify for the Veterinarian TN category based on a provincial license, an individual would need to possess a provincial license in veterinary medicine, e.g. from the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO).