Yes. An E-2 spouse is employment-authorized incident to status and may work in the enterprise or elsewhere; only one spouse needs to be the principal investor.
One principal, one authorized spouse, children who may only study
Where a married couple buys a business together, the family generally chooses one spouse as the E-2 principal, here the wife who holds the shares and will develop and direct the enterprise. The husband applies as her E-2 dependent, and on admission a spouse in E-2 status is considered employment-authorized incident to status, so he may guide trips, manage the rental fleet or take unrelated employment. Unmarried children under 21 are also E-2 dependents; they may attend school but may not work, and their status ends at 21 or on marriage. Because E-2 confers no path to permanent residence, a child approaching 21 needs their own plan, such as student status. The couple should also record that the husband’s labour is not counted as an investment contribution, since sweat equity is not capital.
Choose the principal investor before preparing dependants. The principal must hold the treaty nationality and own or control the enterprise; the spouse and unmarried children under 21 then apply as dependants. An E-2 spouse may accept employment under that status, while children can study but cannot work. Hypothetical example: a ceramic-supply business is owned by a Canadian wife and her non-Canadian husband. She is the principal because her nationality and controlling ownership support E-2, while his status and their child's school admission follow from her approval.