Internal disclosure approval and lawful immigration work permission are separate events.
Coordinate the file without treating internal approval as admission
Confirm that the actual TN basis and applicable process are ready. A client’s release of information does not authorize work while an immigration requirement remains unresolved.
Create two separate timelines: one for the employer’s internal clearance of confidential information and another for immigration permission. The TN record still must establish citizenship of Canada or Mexico, inclusion of the occupation under USMCA, compliance with its qualification rule, and prearranged employment that is not US self-employment. Once accurate evidence is ready, a Canadian may seek TN admission at a port of entry, or the employer may file Form I-129 where appropriate. Neither an approved disclosure draft nor a client start date permits the applicant to perform US services before the relevant admission or approved change or extension takes effect. A common scheduling failure is booking orientation and productive work for the morning after counsel clears the letter, although no immigration step has been completed. Build contingencies for additional evidence and keep the employer informed that its approval is only one dependency.
Hypothetical example: A forester based near Sainte-Rose-du-Nord receives permission to discuss a confidential forest-inventory method on Tuesday. She waits to begin the US assignment until the selected TN process produces valid work authorization; the client’s information-release date remains merely an internal milestone.