TD does not authorize employment, including remote work while physically in the United States.
Review the spouse’s actual activity
A Canadian payer or family ownership interest does not create TD work permission. Assess the spouse separately from the principal’s professional offer. The dependent category concerns a qualifying spouse or unmarried child under 21, each with actual status evidence.
Choosing TD because an offer has not arrived yet is reasonable, provided everyone understands what it means in the meantime: study is permitted, employment is not, and there is no blanket rule allowing work while a later application is pending. 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. TN workers and their dependents may qualify for a limited discretionary grace period after employment ends; the actual end date, admission validity and individual circumstances determine the next steps. If a spouse expects to work, treat it as a separate authorisation question, and coordinate school or childcare timing around the same two-checkpoint sequence the principal faces rather than around a single date.