Identify the actual recipient and contractual purpose of each charge.
Build a transparent cost record
An agency invoice, credential evaluation and official filing or admission charge can arise under different arrangements. Confirm amounts and applicable rules instead of assuming a bundled deduction proves payment to the government.
Create a ledger showing payer, recipient, currency, due date, refund terms, and purpose for every amount. Keep an agency deduction apart from credential evaluation, travel, licensing, and an official filing or admission charge. Verify government amounts through the current USCIS Form G-1055 schedule or relevant admission instructions; a recruiter’s bundled invoice is not proof of government payment. Cost planning cannot replace TN conditions: Canadian or Mexican citizenship, prearranged work in a listed USMCA profession, the profession’s stated qualifications, and no United States self-employment. Decide whether a Canadian will apply at a port of entry or through the employer’s Form I-129, since the procedure determines which official charges may arise.
Hypothetical example: a North Hatley architect sees a payroll line labelled “TN administration” covering recruitment, couriering, and an unspecified border fee. She should request an itemized invoice and receipts naming ultimate recipients, while separately budgeting any licence review her duties require. Her degree, genuine employer letter, and assignment remain eligibility evidence; the deduction proves none. If no government charge was remitted, she should record the amount as a private contractual cost, not an immigration fee.