Assess the spouse’s actual status and intended work. A family relationship or description of informal help does not itself authorize employment.
Identify the appropriate personal authorization
Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation. Children gain no work permission solely through L dependent status. Do not count planned family assistance as authorized staffing without reviewing the actual facts.
Record citizenship, relationship evidence, age and the proposed arrival date for each family member. Treat the principal’s promotion, L-1 approval and each family member’s status as different events. A return-to-work date can help plan the household’s move, but it should not be substituted for individual validity dates or treated as automatic permission for family members to begin U.S. employment. Confirm the spouse’s admission classification and validity dates before starting, and distinguish preparatory personal activity from productive services. Professional licensing in the U.S. state is a separate matter, and children in L-2 status may study but not work and lose status at 21. An L-2 child may attend school at any level but may not work, including summer employment, and status ends on the 21st birthday. A spouse’s work authorization questions should be checked against the classification and current rules; children need independent planning as they approach the age limit.