TD does not authorize employment. The proposed unpaid activity requires a facts-based assessment; absence of pay does not by itself establish that business work is permitted.
Describe the work before assigning it
Identify the tasks, physical location, client benefit and expected hours. Distinguish ordinary household help from producing deliverables for the engagement. TD permits study, but that is a separate permission. If the spouse intends to work, assess an independent authorization route rather than treating a family relationship or foreign payment arrangement as sufficient.
Separate ordinary household support from work that produces a client deliverable. Hypothetical example: the spouse of a forensic-audio transcription specialist prepares client transcripts from home without pay. Client instructions, file access, deadlines, and quality review show whether activity resembles employment. Document the proposed activity first, then assess a status that authorizes it if necessary. TD status may permit study but does not authorize client work simply because it is unpaid or paid abroad. Do not treat an optimistic business explanation, a later-created letter, or a family arrangement as proof of a missing eligibility fact. Seek individual advice before committing to client-facing activity.