The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a temporary final rule (TFR) extending the automatic extension period for certain Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs) from 180 days to a maximum of 540 days in a move to further streamline access to work permits for eligible noncitizens.
This initiative builds upon recent improvements aimed at significantly reducing processing times for EADs.
The temporary measure aims to prevent disruptions in employment authorisation for noncitizens already authorised to work while awaiting USCIS to adjudicate their pending EAD renewal applications.
Notable achievements include halving EAD processing times for green card applicants since FY2021, processing a record number of EAD applications, and engaging with communities to enhance accessibility and support for applicants.
Without this intervention, nearly 800,000 EAD renewal applicants, including asylees, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries, and green card applicants, could face interruptions in their employment authorisation, affecting approximately 60,000 to 80,000 employers.