The Donald Trump administration has rolled out another major policy shift on immigration that could disrupt countless foreign workers in the US, particularly Indians.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday announced changes to the rules governing the renewal of employment authorisations, tightening the process for visa holders whose work permits are set to expire.
“This IFR (Interim final rule) amends DHS regulations to end the practice of automatically extending the validity of employment authorisation documents (Forms I-766 or EADs) for aliens who have timely filed an application to renew their EAD in certain employment authorisation categories,” the DHS said.
The latest immigration crackdown follows Trump’s earlier announcement that the US plans to charge $100,000 for H-1B visas.
What Trump administration’s new immigration policy notes
Under the new rule, which takes effect on October 30, foreign professionals will no longer be allowed to continue working if their visa renewal is still pending when their current permit expires.
Notably, earlier policy allowed workers to remain employed as long as they had submitted their renewal application before the expiry date.
“The purpose of this change is to prioritise the proper vetting and screening of aliens before granting a new period of employment authorisation and/or a new EAD,” the DHS tried to justify the change.
The new immigration policy is expected to impact thousands of Indian professionals who are currently working in the US under different visas including H-4 visa holders (spouses of H-1B workers), students on Optional Practical Training (OPT), and individuals awaiting green card approvals.
