A spouse physically working in Canada presents a different activity from working after entering the United States. Assess their actual location and any later move separately. The principal’s transfer does not require treating every family member as though they have already entered in dependent status.
Plan a later move on current facts
If the spouse later seeks L dependent status and US employment, verify the applicable procedure and evidence of work authorization at that time. Review cross-border tax or employment questions with appropriate advisers. Do not assume that occasional visits permit the same activities as a work-authorized move.
Prepare a separate family timeline showing each dependent's passport validity, relationship record, travel plan, school need and prospective work activity. The first review should identify whether the spouse will seek L dependent status and what evidence may be needed to document incident work authorization, while recognizing that children do not receive an employment right merely through dependent status. Sequence dependent applications with the principal's status and entry documents.
Hypothetical example: An executive at a Canadian packaging company relocates to Georgia with a spouse and a nineteen-year-old child who expects to take a paid campus job. The family should verify the child's independent authority before accepting work, even if the child may attend school. Trouble begins when the household treats every dependent benefit as identical and makes employment commitments before the status evidence is available.
Review the family plan again if a dependent will arrive later or change schools or employment plans. Keep the principal's approval and admission records available for the dependent procedure. A dependent's travel convenience does not replace the evidence and status needed for the activity planned after arrival.