Each relationship and identity record needs its own accurate explanation. A shared surname is not the legal test for dependent eligibility.
Check the household record by person
TD generally covers a spouse and unmarried children under 21. It permits study but not work. Review each relative’s actual citizenship and visa or admission requirements; the principal’s TN procedure does not automatically apply to everyone.
A partner pursuing an independent route carries their own preparation costs: document retrieval, translations, any credential evaluation their category requires, and separate legal advice. A spouse admitted as a dependant of a treaty professional may accompany, live and study, including a full degree programme, but may not take a job, and that includes remote work performed from the United States for a Canadian employer. Practical options include the spouse pursuing an independent status, planning for a defined period on one income, or comparing classifications whose dependent status authorizes employment incident to status. If a spouse expects to work, discuss that as a separate authorization question, since TD status alone does not provide it, and coordinate school or childcare timing around the same two-checkpoint sequence as the principal case.