Review the spouse’s own valid status and evidence before relying on that work. Qualifying L spouses are employment authorized incident to status, commonly evidenced by the appropriate spouse-specific I-94 classification.
Distinguish availability from permission to perform the work
The principal’s approval does not give the spouse status automatically, and a foreign pay source does not settle authorization. Qualifying unmarried children under 21 may accompany in L dependent status but do not receive the spouse’s work benefit.
Confirm the spouse’s status and any applicable requirements for the intended job. A pending case or unpaid role in the training programme does not itself provide permission to perform the work. The right to work arrives immediately and feels permanent, and it is not: it is measured by the principal's status, which in this category runs no more than five years in total. Write a task list for the spouse and classify each item as observation, study, or productive work. L-1B is limited to five years, the L-2 spouse is employment-authorized, and a placement at a client site must remain controlled by the petitioning employer. If the spouse plans to accept a salaried position instead, the same authorization covers it. If the spouse has independent specialized knowledge of the same company's processes, a second L-1B can be assessed on its own evidence.