Read the general life across the border overview
One spouse would accept a U.S. position while the other hopes to keep working for a Canadian company from the new home. Where the employer sits, and where the payroll is run, is not by itself the answer to whether that work is authorized. Prepare an accurate description of the activity and have it reviewed before anyone resigns, signs or commits to a start date.
Write down the activity, not the payroll address
Hypothetical example: a spouse proposes to keep a Canadian service contract after moving to the United States. Describe what the work involves, where it would be performed, for whom, who directs it, how many hours, and how payment is made. Note whether the existing agreement is employment or a contract for services, and whether clients or colleagues would be in the United States. Record whether duties or title would change with the move. Foreign payroll is one fact among several rather than an exemption, so bring the contract itself to the review instead of a summary of it, and flag anything the employer has not yet confirmed in writing.
Check which status the spouse would actually hold
TD status permits study but does not authorize employment. Qualifying E and L dependent spouses are employment-authorized incident to their valid status, evidenced by the appropriate I-94 record, and children are not covered by that same rule. So the question of whether a spouse may work depends on the spouse's own valid status, whether dependent on the principal's route or independently obtained. Identify the realistic statuses first, then ask what evidence each would produce for the spouse, and keep filing, approval, admission and effective authorization as separate points on the timeline.
Handle unpaid and in-between activity carefully
Activity described as unpaid or volunteer needs a specific review of the actual facts; there is no blanket exemption to rely on. The same caution applies to finishing a project during the move, answering former colleagues, or a short handover period. List each activity with the date it would start and stop, and ask what evidence supports the description you have given. Keep questions about obligations to the Canadian employer, and about Canadian tax and status, on a separate list for advice from the appropriate professional.
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.