MC TN Visa Denied Twice at Rainbow Bridge POE

M

mooadr

New Member
Has anyone had any recent experience with successfully applying for TN Management Consultant for a Consultant role with Economics (or non-business/commerce) degree background?

I've been turned down twice at Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls by the same CBP officer who insists that my “Economics degree does not match the job requirements, economics has nothing to do with management consulting”. However, from speaking to a few others, based on the relevant appendix in NAFTA for TNs, there is no specific degree requirement (just states Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree) for TN Management Consultant as there is for other TN categories. Further, per the Bureau Labor Statistics, which I understand is what the CPB/USCIS relies upon, for Management Consultants it is stated that “many fields of study provide a suitable education because of the range of areas that management analysts address. Common fields of study include …, economics, …”.

Just wanted to see if there are others out there who have encountered this recently and how they were admitted? Also, would welcome thoughts on what to do next.

I wasn't formally rejected (not finger printed). Mail-in to USCIS? Consulate? Try again at a POE via Newark or YVR perhaps?
 
Well, the obvious question is whether you would be consulting in the field of economics. You didn't mention anything about what type of job you would be doing in your post. perhaps the TN letter doesn't describe that enough. You don't get a TN in MC just because you have any degree. It has to be related to the work you will be doing. That relation between degree and job applies anytime the quals for a TN category call for a degree.

And what did you "fix" between the first and second visit to the POE? You would have been told what the problem was and would have addressed it. If you didn't address this, and showed up again, this is viewed negatively by CBP and could cause you future problems, So you need (actually, your sponsor needs) to show that your job is that of an MC in the field of economics.
 
By the way AL Lthe categories say only "Baccalaureate or Licenciatura degree" but it is understood that it is the RELATED bach degree: Engineering Bach for Engineer , Economics degree for Economist, etc. not simply any degree.
 
I'd be a Consultant advising businesses on how they can improve their operational, managerial and economic performance by leveraging digital and technology solutions. In other words, advising on business related things for a Tech Consulting firm.

Job duties:
  • Analyze clients’ data, systems and procedures and recommend required changes, solutions, and best practices to strengthen profitability and to retain a competitive edge in the market
  • Analyze and resolve strategic, operating and economic problems to improve efficiency
  • Gather comprehensive business requirements (functional & non-functional) and information about our client’s problems
  • Conduct workshops with management and interview personnel to gather the information and data required to conduct quantitative, economic and strategic analyses
  • Perform business analysis for capabilities related to Guidewire ClaimCenter (GW CC), and make recommendations to sustain accelerated growth for our clients
 
It was clear that the officer didn't understand what the requirements were because my day-to-day job duties are related to the coursework from my economics degree (data analysis, microeconomics, international finance economics, macroeconomics).

First time around she asked for reference letters to confirm MC experience from my old employer (knowing that I had only 2 years of MC experience). This was stupid because I wouldn't have met the req anyways based on that criteria. How I meet the MC category is the fact that my degree has everything to do with my new job and she was so ignorant about it in the sense that she said that econ has nothing to do with management consultant.

Second time around, I brought her the reference letters confirming my MC experience and she couldn't believe that a firm had hired me straight out of grad to be a consultant. "What would you even consult on when you have no experience?" She then proceeded to deny me on the fact that my Econ degree wasn't relevant to consulting, even though in my petition letter, we mapped out my relevant coursework and how the experience / knowledge will be leveraged for the job.

She said don't come back. You won't be admitted as a MC.
 
You should have asked to speak to a supervisor BOTH times. Sounds like you were denied for an incorrect reason (that is why CBP now issues you a checklist when you are denied with the exact reason). Did she do this?

It's related degree OR experience, not AND.
See https://bdzlaw.com/management-consultant-tn-che/
She may be right about your degree not being sufficiently related to your degree. That is for interpretation. But not as the third reason to deny you. Clearly biased.
You may need to bring legal representation with you next time.
 
mooadr said:
It was clear that the officer didn't understand what the requirements were because my day-to-day job duties are related to the coursework from my economics degree (data analysis, microeconomics, international finance economics, macroeconomics).

First time around she asked for reference letters to confirm MC experience from my old employer (knowing that I had only 2 years of MC experience). This was stupid because I wouldn't have met the req anyways based on that criteria. How I meet the MC category is the fact that my degree has everything to do with my new job and she was so ignorant about it in the sense that she said that econ has nothing to do with management consultant.

Second time around, I brought her the reference letters confirming my MC experience and she couldn't believe that a firm had hired me straight out of grad to be a consultant. "What would you even consult on when you have no experience?" She then proceeded to deny me on the fact that my Econ degree wasn't relevant to consulting, even though in my petition letter, we mapped out my relevant coursework and how the experience / knowledge will be leveraged for the job.

She said don't come back. You won't be admitted as a MC.
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Interesting !! I have Bachelors Degree with Maths, Economics & Statistics. I do business analysis and gather business requirements mostly for banks IT, not sure if i will be able to get a TN visa, b/w my plans to move to US is still in planning ? @ mooadr let us know your next step and keep us informed if you eventually get TN. Wish you good luck.
 
ImCanadian said:
Interesting !! I have Bachelors Degree with Maths, Economics & Statistics. I do business analysis and gather business requirements mostly for banks IT, not sure if i will be able to get a TN visa, b/w my plans to move to US is still in planning ? @ mooadr let us know your next step and keep us informed if you eventually get TN. Wish you good luck.
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Did a mail-in application with premium processing and just heard back from USCIS. They issued an RFE. Still waiting on my employer to share with me what the RFE is as they didn't provide a fax number for USCIS to fax the RFE to...so now we'er waiting on the snail mail.

@nelsona - is there a thread on this forum discussing about RFE's for TN visas under the MC category?
 
mooadr said:
Did a mail-in application with premium processing and just heard back from USCIS. They issued an RFE. Still waiting on my employer to share with me what the RFE is as they didn't provide a fax number for USCIS to fax the RFE to...so now we'er waiting on the snail mail.

@nelsona - is there a thread on this forum discussing about RFE's for TN visas under the MC category?
Click to expand...

Looks like RFE's are new normal these days, irrespective of visa type. Keep us informed about the RFE, this will help many folks in the forum, wish you good luck.
 
mooadr said:
Did a mail-in application with premium processing and just heard back from USCIS. They issued an RFE. Still waiting on my employer to share with me what the RFE is as they didn't provide a fax number for USCIS to fax the RFE to...so now we'er waiting on the snail mail.

@nelsona - is there a thread on this forum discussing about RFE's for TN visas under the MC category?
Click to expand...

Just wondering if you were successful in getting TN through mail in application.
 
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