TD does not authorize employment, including work that cannot be made permissible merely by calling it freelance. Assess the spouse’s actual activities and any independent authorization.
Record where and for whom the work would occur
Identify physical location, clients, deliverables and payment arrangements. Foreign clients or a Canadian bank account do not by themselves authorize work from the United States. TD permits study; that is a different activity. Review any unpaid arrangement on its facts, and do not assume the principal’s professional qualification extends to the spouse’s work permission.
Family planning begins with each person’s own intended activity. A spouse or child seeking TD classification may accompany or follow the principal, but TD does not authorize employment; study is generally possible. Record citizenship, passport dates, relationship evidence, and whether a child is unmarried and under 21. Do not assume a Canadian permanent resident who is not a citizen has the principal’s TN eligibility. Hypothetical example: a soil-remediation consultant expects to move with a spouse who sells digital illustrations to overseas customers. The client location does not decide the issue if the spouse will perform paid work while physically present in the country. The household must decide whether that work will stop, be carried out elsewhere by someone else, or require the spouse’s independent status. That decision should be made before leases, school plans, or a departure date create pressure.