I'm a TN-1 visa holder and you've got some misinformation in your post. Nothing major but some of the details can be important when talking about working in ano

I'm a TN-1 visa holder and you've got some misinformation in your post. Nothing major but some of the details can be important when talking about working in another country. First you're correct that computer programmer is not on the list of approved occupations. However, both systems analyst and software engineer are listed. Most people view software engineer and programmer as being the same but you have to make sure you use the correct terms. The length of the visa is up to three years. It also can't go past when your passport expires and may be shorter depending on your job offer. It can be renewed many times (I think up to twenty years but could be wrong). Application and renewal is normally pretty easy. If you're doing a border crossing it takes a little time and a $50 fee. If you're doing it through the mail it takes about 2 months and a larger fee (several hundred dollars).