IN THIS GUIDE · Show that the Boischatel manager will manage in the United States, not simply work harder there
Start with the L-1A eligibility and application overview
Describe the U.S. role by what the manager will decide, not what she will do
Hypothetical example: a Boischatel precast concrete producer owns a small plant in Maine and wants to send its production director to run it. Her Québec job description says she supervises three shift leads and approves capital purchases; it also says she troubleshoots the batching plant herself when it fails. The petition should quantify the managerial share of her week, name her reports and their reports, and show her authority over hiring, discipline and budget. A manager who spends most days operating equipment is a skilled worker, not an L-1A manager.
Prove the year abroad with payroll, not with a letter
The qualifying year must be continuous, with the same corporate group, and within the three years immediately before filing. Assemble T4 slips, pay stubs and the Québec employment contract, and reconcile any leave or secondment. A period spent working in the United States for the same group does not count toward the year abroad, though it does not break it either. If the manager was hired through an acquisition, the ownership dates matter: the year must be with a company that was already part of the group.
Chart the relationship between the two entities to the percentage
Parent, subsidiary, branch and affiliate each have a definition, and the ownership chart has to fit one of them. Provide share registers, articles and, where a holding company or family trust sits above both businesses, the documents that show common control. Both companies must be doing business, meaning regular provision of goods or services, not merely existing on paper. Financial statements, invoices and leases for the Maine plant show that.
Plan the household and the seven-year ceiling from the first day
The L-2 spouse is employment-authorized incident to status, which can be the difference between a workable move and a refused one for a two-income Boischatel household. Children under 21 may study. L-1A time counts against a seven-year maximum, including any earlier L or H periods, so a manager who spent time in the United States before should tally those days now. If permanent residence is the real objective, discuss the EB-1C multinational manager category early; the evidence overlaps substantially.
Sources reviewed 2026-09-07. This guide covers a preparation focus; it is not an individual eligibility assessment.