Possibly, as household planning — but it cannot substitute for the enterprise's own capacity. A qualifying E-2 spouse is generally employment-authorized incident to valid status, evidenced through the E-2S notation or I-94 record, yet finding work takes time. Non-marginality is judged on the business, not on a spouse's expected paycheque.
Budget the household without leaning on the case
Plan two budgets: one in which a legally married spouse is working within a few months, and one in which nobody in the household earns outside the business for a year. Use that second, illustrative scenario to test the reserve; the suitable period depends on the household rather than a fixed immigration rule. Unmarried children under 21 may accompany, but dependent status gives them no employment authorization.
Each family member has their own eligibility and process, so avoid assuming a single shared travel date. The scenario households skip is the one where the spouse's search takes longer than expected, and the reason is that nobody wants to plan for it out loud. Licensing, credential recognition and employer timelines each add months in some fields and none in others; find out which applies before the budget assumes an income.
Hypothetical example: a spouse whose background is in long-term care administration researches what a comparable role requires locally before the move, and finds the answer changes the reserve rather than the destination.