US Adds 1.5 Years to Immigrant Work Permit Period

The Biden administration has announced an automatic extension of the work permit deadline (Period) for certain categories of immigrants, including green card seekers and spouses of H-1B visa holders who get a work authorization card (EAD), by a year and a half. For.

The move, announced on Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security, is likely to benefit thousands of Indian and more country people expatriates.

Extension period of up to 180 days

The Department of Homeland Security said the extension period of up to 180 days from the expiration date (work permit period) stated on the current EAD will automatically be extended to 540 days.

USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou said, “As USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) works to address pending EAD caseloads, the agency has determined that the current 180-day automatic extension for employment authorization is currently insufficient.”

“This temporary rule will provide noncitizens who are otherwise eligible for automatic expansion, the opportunity to maintain employment and provide vital support for their families while dodging further trouble to American employers.,” They said.

According to USCIS, non-citizens with an uncertain EAD renewal application whose 180-day automatic extension has expired and whose EAD has expired, beginning May 4, 2022, and lasting up to 540 days, will be given employment authorization and EAD validity. An additional period of time will be provided. from the expiration date of their EAD. They can resume employment if they are still within the 540-day automatic extension period and are otherwise eligible.

Non-citizens will be given an additional extension of up to 360 days for a total of 540 days after the end of the current EAD with the renewal application still pending under the 180-day automatic extension.

Non-citizens with a pending renewal application and valid EAD on May 4, 2022, or non-citizens who filed an EAD renewal application before October 27, 2023, will be given an automatic extension of up to 540 days if their EAD expires before renewal. Is. The application is processed.

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“The change will immediately help about 87,000 immigrants whose work authorization has expired or is scheduled for the next 30 days. Overall, the government calculates that 4,20,000 immigrants who continue work permits will need to work. Losing capacity will be avoided for the duration of the policy,” Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria told PTI.

The policy is meant to address the outstanding backlog of 1.5 million work permit applications at the country’s legal immigration agency, leaving thousands unable to work legally and exacerbating the labor shortage.

Accommodating the change in policy, Bhutoria said that it is good news for employers as most companies are facing employee problems and now they will be able to hire their eligible workers.

“This policy change allows employers to keep their workers and eligible immigrants working on death records for up to 540 days instead of 180 days. That means thousands still have another year to go after the 180-day window. Work license till Wednesday,” he said.

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Source: NDTV