Read the general business expansion overview
Hypothetical example: a Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury manufacturer of prefabricated saunas and cold-plunge units for lodges and homes sells into New England through distributors and now wants its own U.S. subsidiary, run by its sales director, who has been with the company for five years. A new-office L-1A petition is approved for one year and must show secured premises and the capacity to support a managerial role within that year. The plan has to describe a warehouse bay with a showroom, the first two hires and how the director's role becomes managerial once they arrive.
Secure premises that match the business, not a mailbox
A subsidiary that installs saunas needs a place to receive shipments, stage installations and show product, so a leased warehouse bay with a small showroom is the credible premises. Sign the lease in the subsidiary's name before filing, photograph the space, and include the floor plan and the landlord's letter. A co-working desk would be cheaper but would not match a business plan that promises inventory and installation crews, and the mismatch would be noticed. The Québec parent must own the subsidiary directly or through a documented chain, and the share register and incorporation record go in the file with the parent's financial statements.
Plan the first year so the director manages rather than sells
In month one the director will be quoting, closing and probably helping unload the first container, and the plan should say so honestly while showing the path away from it. Month three: hire an installation technician. Month six: hire a sales-and-showroom coordinator. By month nine she is directing two employees, subcontracted installers, distributor relationships and the U.S. budget, which is the managerial profile the extension petition must show. Fund the plan with a capital contribution from the parent documented by bank transfer, and keep a bookkeeping system in the subsidiary from the first invoice, since the extension will be judged on real records rather than the original forecast.
Confirm her qualifying year and the household's position
Five years of continuous employment with the parent as sales director, in a role that directed a small sales team and set pricing, comfortably meets the one-year requirement, but assemble the payroll records and organization charts anyway and log any U.S. trade-show days that do not count as time abroad. Her spouse in L-2 status is employment-authorized incident to status, and children may study until 21. The seven-year L-1A ceiling starts running on admission. If the subsidiary does not reach the staffing the plan describes, the extension a year later is the point at which the case is tested, so the plan should be one the company genuinely intends to execute.
What else is on your mind?
Does being a business owner or director qualify me for L-1A?What employment history should an L-1 transfer review cover?What makes a new-office L-1A case different?Why does an L-2 spouse’s admission record matter for work?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.