IN THIS GUIDE · Reconciling a mismatched employer letter and contract before relying on either for a TN case
Start with the TN eligibility and application overview
Identify every point of disagreement precisely
Read the letter and contract side by side and list each discrepancy: who supervises the applicant, what specific duties are described, the worksite, and the start and end dates of the assignment. Do not assume small wording differences are harmless; a reviewer may read inconsistent supervision language or mismatched dates as a sign the arrangement is not clearly defined. Treat this as a factual audit before deciding which document needs correction. Set the list out in three columns: what the letter says, what the contract says, and which of the two is correct. That table is what a reviewer would assemble anyway, and building it first shows quickly whether the divergence is clerical, such as a stale date, or substantive, such as a different reporting line.
Determine which version reflects the real arrangement
Ask the employer directly which document describes what will actually happen, since one of the two was likely drafted first and not updated when terms changed. Confirm the actual reporting relationship, the real scope of duties being performed day to day, and the true intended assignment period. Do not simply pick the more favourable-sounding version; the goal is accuracy, since either document could later be compared against the applicant's actual work. Ask who signed each document and when. A letter issued by a recruiter and a contract executed by a hiring manager often diverge simply because neither person saw the other's draft. The signatory who actually controls the position is the one whose account should govern, and that person should be the one to confirm it in writing.
Request corrected, consistent documentation
Once the accurate version is confirmed, ask the employer to issue a corrected letter, or amend the contract, so both documents match on supervision, duties, and dates. Keep a record of why the change was made in case a reviewer asks about the discrepancy. Avoid submitting either document until the correction is complete, since presenting conflicting paperwork can raise more questions than it answers. A corrected letter should restate the profession being claimed, the qualification relied on, the duties, the worksite and the period, and it should be signed by someone with authority over the position. A correction must not quietly convert the arrangement into work the applicant directs for their own account, because TN does not permit self-employment and a reviewer reads the documents for that.
Confirm consistency before relying on the documents
Before an admission request or filing proceeds, do a final side-by-side check confirming the corrected letter and contract agree on every material point. If the assignment dates changed as part of the correction, revisit the planned travel or start date to keep them aligned. Treat this final check as a required step, not a formality, since inconsistent supporting documents are within the applicant's control to fix before submission. Remember that these documents will be read again at a later entry or an extension request, and the version relied on now becomes the baseline description of what the role was said to be. Keeping the first file accurate is what makes the second one straightforward, so file the corrected set together with a short note of what changed and why.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.