Keep costly commitments flexible while the duty question is unresolved. If the position requires redesign or another immigration route, the original date may change. Prepare dependent identity and relationship records while the employer clarifies the role.
Keep the second income question separate
A qualifying spouse or unmarried child under 21 may seek TD, subject to individual requirements. TD permits study but does not authorize employment. A spouse’s own engineering background therefore does not supply a second household income without a separate basis for working.
Non-resident rates are frequently the starting point for a newly arrived household, and any change depends on institutional and state rules rather than on immigration status alone. A household that moves on one professional’s admission often assumes the second earner will find something once settled. Review the actual proposed activity and independent route rather than rely on a shared employer. Keep the principal’s TN evidence separate: Canadian or Mexican citizenship, a prearranged position in a listed USMCA profession, and compliance with that profession’s qualification rule. If the spouse has a US offer, identify a category available on the spouse’s own citizenship, credentials, employer, and duties before any services begin.
Do not describe household business ownership as proof that the TN job is permissible, because U.S. self-employment is barred.