O-1 vs TN: use the simple tool until it breaks

Where the TN wins outright

Citizens of Canada or Mexico, in a profession on the USMCA list, with the right degree for the listing: the TN is quick, renewable and inexpensive. Use it.

Where it breaks

• Citizenship: the TN covers two countries; extraordinary talent comes from everywhere.
• Profession fit: the list is rigid — founders, hybrid roles and novel titles fight the categories.
• Intent: the TN is uncomfortable next to a green-card ambition; the O-1 coexists with one far more gracefully.
• Multiple engagements: a TN ties to specific employer petitions; an O-1 itinerary is built for a portfolio of engagements.

The practical rule

Canadian/Mexican + on-list + single employer + no near-term green-card push → TN. Anything else in the extraordinary tier → the agent-based O-1, where your part stays one page regardless of passport.