TD does not authorize employment. Document collection does not create a temporary exception.
Assess the spouse independently
Identify the proposed activity and any separate work-authorized route. The principal’s pending preparation cannot supply the spouse’s US permission.
Avoid discussing school enrollment, housing, or work plans for family members until that foundational question has an answer, since the entire route, not just the timing, is still open. Prepare each family member's documents on their own terms, remembering that TD permits study but does not authorize employment, including remote work, and that a child who is a United States citizen does not need TD. TD dependant status permits residence and study but confers no work authorization at any point, so a spouse cannot take American employment, freelance, or work remotely for a Canadian employer from inside the United States. Record the spouse's citizenship, employer, duties, physical work location, pay arrangement, and any separate status or authorization before promising continued availability to the client. TD status permits study but carries no employment authorization of its own, so an agency contract, payroll setup, unpaid trial, or mere customer access does not let the spouse work. Review the dependent’s own admission validity and the principal’s status if employment changes; do not assume any interruption causes immediate loss without checking applicable protections.