TD does not authorize employment. The principal’s assignment and professional qualification do not extend work permission to the spouse.
Identify a separate basis for the spouse’s activities
Record what support would be performed, where, for whom and under what compensation. Foreign payroll or short duration does not by itself make U.S. work permissible. TD permits study, which is a different activity. Any independent work route or unpaid arrangement requires its own assessment before the spouse undertakes business tasks.
Nothing prevents two people in the same household from each holding TN status, provided each independently meets the requirements: Canadian or Mexican citizenship, a qualifying listed profession, the credential that profession accepts, and prearranged professional employment for temporary entry. Review a child's schooling and any age-related question separately from the spouse's employment question, and clarify whether the household plans to arrive together or in stages so each person's documentation can be prepared accordingly. If the added income or schedule change affects household planning, such as childcare or a spouse's own work arrangements, discuss that separately from the immigration authorization questions, since the two issues have different evidence and different decision points. The principal must independently show citizenship of Canada or Mexico, an occupation named by USMCA with its required credentials, and prearranged US employment rather than self-employment; Canadian permanent residence alone is insufficient.