Extension of Work Permits: The U.S. government is making it easier for certain noncitizens to keep working legally while they wait for their paperwork to be processed.
USCIS announced the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) to extend the validity period of certain work automatically permits to up to 540 days instead of 180 days.
This change is meant to ensure that people who are already allowed to work don’t lose their jobs while they wait for their work permits to be renewed.
It’s part of the Biden-Harris Administration‘s efforts to help more people work legally in the U.S.
Key Points:
- The TFR, starting April 8, 2024, aims to stop interruptions in work authorization for some noncitizens with pending EAD renewal applications.
- If you applied for EAD renewal and filed your Form I-765 on or after Oct. 27, 2023, and it’s still being processed when this rule is published, it will apply to you.
- Also, if you apply for EAD renewal during the 540-day period after this rule is published, you’re covered.
- You can prove your work authorization extension by showing your current EAD and the Form I-797C receipt notice.
- The receipt notice should show the same employment eligibility category as your existing EAD.
- If your EAD is based on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the category on both your EAD and the notice should be either A12 (if TPS is granted) or C19 (if you’re a TPS applicant).
The head of the agency in charge of immigration services, USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou, explained that they’ve been able to speed up the processing of most work permit applications over the past year, but they’ve also received a lot more applications than usual, which has caused delays.
So, they’re extending the automatic extension period to prevent people from losing their jobs due to paperwork delays.
This change will also give the government more time to develop better solutions for processing work permits in the long term.
This temporary change applies to people who used to renew their work permits on or after October 27, 2023, and whose applications are still pending when the new rule is officially published.
It will also apply to people who apply during 540 days starting when the rule is published.
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