TD does not authorize employment. Describe the proposed business activity and obtain a facts-based assessment rather than assuming administrative help is permitted because it is for a spouse.
Separate household administration from business services
Record the tasks, physical location, time and benefit to the employer or client. Foreign payment arrangements do not by themselves authorize work from the United States. TD permits study; that does not authorize producing business services. If the spouse intends to work, assess an independent basis rather than treating family participation as an exemption.
TN is limited to a Canadian or Mexican citizen with prearranged activity that fits a listed professional category and the required credentials. A Canadian may seek inspection-based admission or use an employer’s I-129 filing; the arrangement cannot, in substance, be the applicant’s own U.S. self-employment. The first review should produce a duty-and-evidence chart: each proposed task, who directs it, which listed profession is relied on, and the document that supports the point. Start with the signed offer and any customer scope, then test credentials, payment terms, ownership, and the proposed dates against that chart. A polished letter fails when it leaves a contradictory contract, licence record, or ownership document unanswered. Hypothetical example: A restoration architect’s spouse proposes sending client invoices and answering project calls from the United States. A task log, client access records, and the spouse’s own status determine whether the activity is merely household administration or work. The practical next step is to preserve the underlying record, identify any conflict in writing, and decide the sequence from the facts rather than from a preferred outcome.