Read the general eligibility basics overview
Canadian permanent residence describes a person’s status in Canada, not citizenship or U.S. work permission. Record actual citizenship and the proposed work, transfer or investment before choosing a U.S. route. The six services have different nationality, employment and funding requirements that residence alone cannot satisfy.
Begin with identity and citizenship
Hypothetical example: two household members live at the same Canadian address but hold different citizenships. Record each person’s documents separately. TN requires eligible Canadian or Mexican citizenship; a Canadian permanent resident does not qualify for TN on residence alone. Do not infer a spouse’s citizenship from the principal’s passport.
Compare the actual alternatives
L-1A and L-1B depend on qualifying employment, company relationships and duties or knowledge. E-2 depends in part on qualifying treaty nationality and enterprise facts. EB-5 concerns qualifying immigrant investment, while Gold Card follows its official gift-based framework. An unsuitable TN case is not automatically suitable for another category.
Keep Canadian obligations in the separate review
Record any Canadian status or residence commitments that affect planning and obtain appropriate advice for those issues. U.S. permission does not automatically resolve Canadian status, tax or residence questions. Keep work and study plans for each family member tied to the actual U.S. status they would hold.
What else is on your mind?
Does Canadian permanent residence give me access to TN?Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.