A spouse physically working in Canada presents different immigration questions from work performed after entering the United States. Record the actual location and responsibilities and review any later US activity separately. The arrangement must also truthfully support the business facts relied on in the principal’s case.
Plan each person’s status and role
If the spouse later seeks L dependent status and US work, verify eligibility and the evidence of authorization incident to qualifying status. A pending principal petition does not provide that permission. Do not assume visits permit all the same work as a properly authorized move.
List the spouse and each child with relationship documents, current status, age-sensitive dates, and planned activities. A first review should create a household calendar alongside the principal's L-1 period, because a child's age or a document expiry can alter options. A qualifying L spouse can have employment permission that follows the proper status when the required evidence is available; children can attend school but do not share the adult work permission. The principal's employer change or loss of the qualifying role can affect the family as well. Do not make housing, school, or employment commitments based only on a petition receipt; read the admission record and current category.
Hypothetical example: a ceramics manufacturer transfers its chief operations officer with a 20-year-old son finishing college. The family plan should identify the son's age-related timeline rather than assuming his dependent status follows the parents indefinitely.