Assess the spouse’s own status and intended work. Participation in the same commercial project does not itself give a family member immigration work permission.
Separate project relationships from individual authorization
Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation. Children receive no work permission solely through L dependent status. Confirm the actual individual basis before relying on a partner company’s job offer.
Clarify whether the spouse would provide services, receive compensation or simply attend an event; a label does not resolve those facts. The spouse should not start US employment merely because the principal’s employer calls the transfer short. The company should first prove the qualifying organizational relationship, continuing business, one uninterrupted year of eligible foreign employment during the prior three years, and a primarily managerial or executive U.S. job. A pending L-1A petition for the principal provides no permission, and dependent children do not acquire the spouse’s work entitlement. Unmarried children under 21 in L-2 status may study but are not work-authorized through L-2, and each person's eligibility is assessed on their own passport and relationship evidence.