The North American Free Trade Agreement, better known as NAFTA, not only contains trade provisions between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but also provides important immigration provisions as well. If eliminated, many critical U.S. industries would suffer as a result.
TN employees run the spectrum of career types; including nurses, scientists, consultants, professors, lawyers, economists, and engineers. This cross-border mobility not only helps companies hiring these individuals, but also helps the local economy and individuals benefiting from the services of these employees. For example, the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit alone employs about 300 Canadian nurses. If the TN were eliminated, the Detroit metropolitan area would feel the impacts immediately in its healthcare industry, as would the patients who rely on these nurses for care. Further, U.S. university students are taught by instructors in TN status, and TN visas allow technology, service, and manufacturing companies to transfer employees across the border. Losing the immigration benefits of NAFTA would harm U.S. workers, consumers, and companies. The relatively free-flow of professionals and ideas between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico is critical to continuing to help the economies of all three countries grow and prosper.