Let $M$ be a smooth manifold, $N\subset M$ be a smooth closed hypersurface, and $X$ be a smooth nowhere-zero vector field on $M$. I would like to learn what is known about the following 

**Question.** When can $N$ be moved by an isotopy to be nowhere-tangent to $X$? 

A necessary condition for an affirmative answer is that $X$ is homotopic through nowhere-zero vector fields to one nowhere-tangent to $N$. Are there invariants that can be used to imply a negative answer to the question even when this necessary condition is satisfied?

I am mainly interested in the case that $M$ is noncompact without boundary, in particular the case that there is a diffeomorphism from $M$ to $N\times \mathbb{R}$ sending $X$ to the vector field $(0,1)$. Also, I am only interested in the case that $N$ is not the boundary of a compact submanifold of $M$.