A single household move can involve genuinely different employment, study, and arrival plans for each family member. Record each person's citizenship, relationship documentation, age, and intended activity before assuming that one person's status automatically grants the whole household every permission it needs. The principal applicant's opportunity is a reasonable starting point, but it is not a complete answer for everyone in the family.
Treat intended remote work as work
Hypothetical example: one partner has accepted a U.S. job offer while the other plans to keep working remotely for a Canadian employer from inside the United States. Put that second activity into the review explicitly. TD status does not authorize employment, while a qualifying E or L spouse is employment-authorized incident to status, though individual documentation still matters; the employer's country of location does not, on its own, decide whether the activity is authorized.
Separate study plans from employment and age-related limits
Record a child's school or university plan together with their age and current status expiry dates. Study is generally permitted for a dependent in TD or E/L status while that status is maintained, but it does not by itself extend an authorized stay or create employment permission. Note any paid internship or work-study activity as its own separate question, and do not apply a spouse's employment rule to a dependent child. These dependent categories generally cover the spouse and unmarried children under 21; a qualifying relationship and maintained status must be established for each person.
Identify the consequence of a changed date for any one person
Ask what happens if one family member cannot begin their intended activity or arrive on the originally preferred date. Keep school enrollment, housing, and employment conditions available for practical, ongoing review rather than treating them as fixed. For any permanent-residence plan, have visa availability and child-age questions assessed individually, and do not assume that a payment or a filed petition freezes anyone's eligibility. The goal is a plan built on actual permissions and clearly identified open questions.
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.