Dependent permissions do not depend on sharing the principal’s knowledge. Review each person’s status and intended activity separately.
Keep the status rules clear
Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status with appropriate documentation. Children do not receive work permission solely through L dependent status. Any independent work proposal should be assessed under its own requirements.
The principal’s approval does not give the spouse status automatically, and a foreign pay source does not settle authorization. The spouse’s permission depends on the actual immigration status and required evidence, not the principal’s internal title. Spouses admitted in L-2 status are considered employment-authorized without a separate application once their admission record carries the spouse annotation, and they may work for any employer. The principal's L-1B eligibility ends at five years, and derivative status ends with it because dependants hold status only through the principal. A qualifying spouse’s work authority follows from the appropriate L status, but that does not answer licensing, tax, or business questions. Children in L-2 status attend school and may not be employed. Children under 21 may study but not work, and everyone's status is tied to the specialist's five-year limit.