TD does not authorize employment. Review the spouse’s proposed activity and any independent work basis before work performed in the United States.
Separate waiting from authorization
An employer abroad and payment to a Canadian account do not themselves resolve U.S. work permission. Children’s study plans also need valid status and do not confer employment rights.
List each planned activity, including remote work, freelance work, or a future job search, rather than assuming a TN professional's status covers the household. Confirm the relationship documents, planned travel dates, school arrangements, and whether any spouse intends to undertake paid or self-directed activity. A common-law or conjugal partner is not covered and needs an independent route, and a child's TD ends at 21 whatever the household has planned, so the next status should be arranged well before that birthday. A spouse and unmarried children under 21 may qualify for TD, so marriage and birth records are what matter for them, with steps that vary according to each person's nationality. The relevant facts are the spouse's own citizenship, qualifications, and the nature of the work intended, and they should be gathered as a separate file from the outset rather than extracted from the household's conversation later.