Read the general pathway comparison overview
A Shediac applicant may consider a transfer into a new affiliate or investment in a business combining sales and repair. Both proposals need realistic staffing, but their employment, ownership and funding conditions differ.
Test the transfer relationship
L-1 depends on a qualifying group relationship and foreign employment, plus the actual managerial/executive or specialized-knowledge role. A recruitment plan should not be treated as an established workforce or as a substitute for the other conditions.
Test the investor arrangement
E-2 requires treaty nationality, at least 50% relevant national enterprise ownership, development and direction, substantial at-risk capital with lawful source and path, and a real nonmarginal business. Two revenue streams do not automatically establish economic capacity.
Compare actual responsibilities and obligations
Identify who performs the underlying work, who directs the enterprise and who bears financial risk. Keep permissions tied to the actual arrangement. An authorization for one proposal is not blanket approval to work in the other.
What else is on your mind?
Does being a business owner or director qualify me for L-1A?What employment history should an L-1 transfer review cover?What makes a new-office L-1A case different?How should an owner compare L-1 and E-2?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.