A Canadian citizen may apply for TN admission at a port of entry with the required evidence or have the U.S. employer file Form I-129, but approval within three weeks cannot be promised. The applicant should confirm the port's procedures and present a complete profession, credential and employment record; Canadians generally do not need a TN visa stamp.
The bottleneck is the paperwork, not the government
A Canadian citizen may request TN admission from an officer at a land port or airport preclearance location with proof of citizenship, the prearranged professional employment, and the required credential. Port procedures and waiting arrangements vary, and no approval or same-day completion should be promised. The U.S.
company may instead file Form I-129, with current processing times and premium-processing availability checked on the official USCIS pages. An approved petition supports the application but does not eliminate CBP's admission decision. She must not attend the cruise as a visitor and start work while authorization is unresolved; conducting a timber cruise for a U.S.
client is productive work. Hypothetical example: a Hope interior designer is asked to begin a U.S. hotel-renovation engagement after the general contractor advances the schedule.
The first review identifies the decision date, the required credential record, and the person authorized to sign for the U.S. employer. Her degree evidence and a detailed engagement letter are the gating records; flight reservations are not.
She should sequence the letter review before booking travel, because visitor admission cannot be used as a placeholder while professional work waits to start.