The spouse’s own valid status and evidence remain the basis for the applicable work rule.
Review the household records separately
Eligible L-2 spouses are generally work-authorized incident to valid spousal status; confirm the spouse-specific record. Unmarried children under 21 may qualify as dependants but do not receive work permission from L-2 child status. A promotion letter is not a substitute for those records.
A family that assumes a standard multi-year assignment can make commitments that a shortened period will not support: a school year that runs past the authorized stay, a lease, a spouse's employment offer. A spouse may take employment anywhere, including work unrelated to the family business, which often stabilises a household's income during a first year when the new operation is consuming cash rather than producing it. Because the authorization arises from the status itself, a spouse can accept employment on arrival rather than waiting out an application; obtaining a document that evidences the authorization simply makes hiring easier in practice. Documentation practice still matters: employers completing employment eligibility verification will want to see the admission record, and it is sensible to carry the marriage certificate and the principal's approval notice.