For an L-1A new office, the initial proposal must show an operation capable of supporting a genuinely managerial or executive role within one year of approval. Keep that submitted plan intact as its own record, and separately track what actually develops, since extension preparation needs evidence of the real business and role rather than only an updated version of the original forecast.
Describe the resources actually supporting the launch
Identify the secured premises, financial resources, planned duties, and staffing sequence realistically. Hypothetical example: a St. Catharines company expects its transferee to personally launch the office and hire operational staff only once early client contracts are secured. Explain honestly what the transferee's initial tasks will actually be, and how the managerial or executive role is expected to grow, rather than presenting only an idealized organization chart.
Record a material change the moment it happens
If a planned hire is delayed or a service line changes, note the date, the reason, and the actual effect on the beneficiary's real duties. Identify who currently performs the responsibilities in question and keep the supporting records. Do not edit the original business plan after the fact to make it appear that events matched the forecast exactly.
Prepare any extension from the actual operating record
Initial new-office approval is limited to one year, so confirm the individual's actual approval and status dates and the appropriate filing plan well in advance. Gather evidence of real business activity, staffing, duties, and finances as they actually stand, since a forecast may explain expectations but cannot substitute for records showing what genuinely happened during the first year. The qualifying foreign employment generally must be one continuous full-time year within the relevant preceding three years. Its capacity may be managerial, executive or specialized knowledge under the ordinary L rule; the proposed U.S. role has its own category test. Brief U.S. trips do not necessarily interrupt continuity, but U.S. days do not count toward the foreign year. New-office L-1A specifically needs a managerial or executive foreign year. New-office L-1B requires sufficient premises and financial ability to pay the employee and begin doing business, alongside qualifying specialized knowledge.
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.