US ends automatic extension of employment authorisation

The US Department of Homeland Security has eliminated automatic extensions of employment authorisation documents, a move that will force foreign workers — especially Indians who make up a large portion of the expat workforce — to stop working if their renewals are not approved before their current permits expire.

- Shashank Mattoo

The interim final rule, published on Wednesday and coming into effect from Thursday, ends a practice that allowed workers to continue their jobs for up to 540 days while renewal applications were pending. Starting Thursday, anyone filing to renew their work permit will lose authorisation the day after their current document expires if the government has not yet approved the renewal.

The change is expected to significantly affect Indian professionals, including H-IB workers waiting years or decades for green cards, their H-4 spouses who depend on work permits, students on STEM work extensions, and other employment-based green card applicants who must repeatedly renew authorisations while in visa backlog.