The spouse and unmarried children under 21 may accompany the investor. The E-2 spouse is employment-authorized incident to status and may work anywhere; children may study but not work, and lose dependant status at 21. Each person's nationality is recorded separately.
The spouse's rights do not depend on the investor's business
E-2 dependant status follows the investor's, and the spouse's employment authorization is not limited to the family enterprise; he may take any lawful job or run his own activity, subject to licensing and tax rules. Hypothetical example: the husband of a Shannon facilities-services owner moving to Virginia is an electrician certified in Québec; his immigration authorization to work is automatic on E-2 spouse status, but practising his trade requires the state's licence, which is a separate and sometimes lengthy process. Children may attend school and may not work; a child who turns 21 during the family's stay must obtain another status, commonly as a student, or leave.
The spouse's nationality does not need to be Canadian, though a non-Canadian spouse will usually need a consular visa appointment. Because E-2 has no direct path to permanent residence, a family planning to stay for many years should discuss long-term options alongside the initial application, including whether the business could support an employment-based immigrant petition in future.