A spouse in L-2 status is employment-authorized incident to status and may work without a separate permit. Unmarried children under 21 may hold L-2 status and attend school, but they have no work authorization.
One derivative may earn, the others may only enrol
The distinction matters more on an assignment that slips. A spouse who takes a local job builds a work history that is tied to Solomon's status, so an extension refusal or an early return affects two incomes rather than one. Children may study at any level in L-2 status; a child who wants to enrol at a U.S.
institution after turning 21 falls outside the derivative and would need a separate route, and the SEVP materials explain how student status works. Households also underestimate how a shorter approval period feels in practice, since L-1B assignments are commonly approved in increments and capped at five years overall. Deciding early which family members would stay in Bonfield if the schedule doubles is uncomfortable, but it is better done before anyone resigns a Canadian job.