Read the general life across the border overview
A Mercier household may compare a principal’s route partly because a spouse hopes to work after moving. Keep the spouse’s actual status and evidence separate from an employer’s willingness to hire. A first review should create a dated decision record, not simply collect documents: identify the legal question, the record that can settle it, the responsible person, and the next event that may change the answer. Hypothetical example: a sign-language interpreting business transfers one parent while the other hopes to begin freelance work immediately. The concrete decision is whether the proposed facts can be proved as they will exist on the filing or admission date, rather than as a hoped-for future arrangement. Where a document, payment, ownership right, or duty changes, update the comparison before relying on an earlier explanation.
Identify which dependent category is actually available
TD, E and L dependent planning generally covers the qualifying spouse and unmarried children under 21. Check the genuine relationship, citizenship and intended admission documents for each person. A shared address or the principal’s Canadian passport does not automatically establish every relative’s eligibility or visa-document treatment.
Distinguish the work rules instead of using one family assumption
TD does not authorize employment. Qualifying E and L spouses can be employment-authorized incident to valid status with appropriate evidence; an EAD is not universally required. E and L children do not receive work authorization merely through dependent status. A job offer does not create the missing status, and remote work while physically in the United States is not automatically outside these restrictions.
Keep school and age planning on separate lines
Dependent study is possible while the applicable status is maintained; enrollment does not extend an authorized stay. Track unmarried-under-21 eligibility and any change in circumstances. Immigrant CSPA age protection needs its own assessment and does not generally freeze the age limit for temporary TD, E or L dependents.
Start with primary records: executed agreements, bank or payroll evidence, corporate registers, and the current duty description. TD does not authorize employment. A qualifying E or L spouse may have work permission as an incident of valid status with appropriate evidence, while a dependent child does not receive work permission merely through status. A first review should identify which item is missing and whether it can be obtained before a material commitment is made.
Sequence the work deliberately: verify the controlling record, compare it with the proposed representation, then decide whether to proceed, revise the transaction, or obtain case-specific advice. A summary, title, payment receipt, or optimistic forecast cannot safely replace the record that answers the governing condition.
What else is on your mind?
Is a matching job title enough for TN?Can years of experience replace a degree for TN?Can my own U.S. company employ me under TN?Can my spouse work if I hold TN status?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.