Ask for separate scopes and costs for the immediate TN work and any longer-term assessment or filing. They involve different decisions and may not both be appropriate. Paying for future services does not establish eligibility for either status or guarantee a continuous period of work authorization.
Clarify commitments before spending
Have the employer explain what sponsorship it is actually offering, who controls the decision, which expenses it will cover, and whether that commitment is conditional. Obtain current official fees when a particular filing is selected rather than assuming today’s estimate will remain valid. Include advice about travel and family consequences if those are part of the scope.
Keep relocation spending separate from an uncertain future immigration outcome. Order the spending the same way. A qualification review costs least and settles most, so it belongs ahead of relocation deposits, evaluations commissioned for the wrong profession, or a retainer for a longer-term filing that may never be appropriate.
Hypothetical example: a Hotel Manager pays for an expedited credential assessment and a moving deposit while the employer is still deciding whether the U.S. role is managerial or operational; if the role is redefined, both payments were made against a job description that no longer exists. Ask what each expense assumes, and hold back anything that assumes a fact still under review.