There is no single rule. Hiring earlier can evidence readiness and non-marginality; hiring later conserves cash while the outcome is unknown. Many plans use conditional offers with start dates tied to the enterprise opening. Choose based on lease timing, equipment delivery and cash position, and record the reasoning.
Sequence commitments against an uncertain decision
Set milestones instead of a promised date: role description finalized, ownership documents executed, staffing offers issued, packet reviewed. No processing time or approval can be guaranteed, and visa validity is not the same thing as the period of stay recorded on the I-94. Avoid commitments that only make sense if a decision arrives by a chosen week — review the financial exposure of resignations, relocation and employment commitments against the evidence needed for filing.
Canadian citizens generally need an E visa rather than seeking admission without one, so build in application preparation and an interview step when setting milestones for the opening. Because the application is judged on funds already committed, the lease, equipment purchases, insurance and client agreements should be executed and paid before the interview date. Sequence commercial readiness by recording each consent, transfer, payment, and condition with its actual effective date.