An eligible spouse in qualifying L status is employment-authorized incident to status. The individual documentation should be checked; dependent children do not gain work permission simply through L-2.
Separate business ownership from spouse authorization
If the spouse will work in the same enterprise, explain the proposed activity and status. Do not assume participation in a family business creates permission. Record the spouse’s documentation and any independent route, and include the children’s study and age questions. An ownership plan and dependent eligibility remain separate legal matters. The dependent categories cover a qualifying spouse and unmarried children under 21. Check each person’s relationship, age and period of authorized stay rather than extending a permission from another household member.
Where an assignment is expected to run toward the outer limit, generally seven years for L-1A, the household is planning around a temporary status, and decisions such as buying property or a spouse leaving a Canadian position deserve their own advice. Keep future changes on the household checklist: a child ageing out, a passport renewal, a school transfer, or a spouse’s new professional requirement may need action before travel. Where a spouse expects to work, discuss their position specifically rather than assuming it follows from the principal's case, and avoid long leases or resignations agreed before the structure is settled.