A contract label does not create U.S. work authorization. Assess the family member’s actual status and permitted activity before including their labor as an available resource. A qualifying E spouse generally may work incident to valid E status, while dependent children receive no work permission from E dependent status.
Budget the functions that cannot rely on assumed family work
If the enterprise depends on family assistance before their status is established, identify an authorized alternative and its cost. An adult child may need an independent immigration route rather than a dependent assumption. Keep those individual questions separate from the investor’s qualification. The plan should reflect work that can actually be performed, not only a household’s willingness to help.
List where each person will live and work, the principal’s travel and management responsibilities, and any existing authorization the spouse holds. A staffing plan that quietly relies on unpaid family labour is fragile. The E-2 spouse's employment authorization is one of the category's practical strengths. A first review should list every proposed dependent, the relationship record, travel sequence, and independent work or school plan. If one spouse is not a Canadian citizen, that spouse cannot be the principal, but can still be the derivative.