The US Department of Homeland Security has announced an interim rule to stop the automatic extension of Employment Authorisation Documents (EAD) of migrant workers, a move that is likely to impact thousands of foreign employees, including Indians who make up a large portion of the expat workforce.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department said “Aliens who file to renew their EAD on or after Oct. 30, 2025 (Thursday), will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD.” This means, EADs automatically extended before October 30 won’t be affected.
With the new rule, there will be more “vetting and screening to protect public safety, national security,” the Trump administration said.
The latest move replaces the Biden administration’s practice that let immigrants work in the US for 540 days even after their work permit expired, if:
The renewal application was filed timely
Their EAD category was eligible for an automatic extension
The category on their current EAD matches the “Eligibility Category” or “Class Requested” listed on the receipt notice.
“There are limited exceptions to this rule, including extensions provided by law or through a Federal Register notice for TPS-related employment documentation,” the statement from the US Department of Homeland Security read.
The US government says the rule entails reviewing migrant workers’ background more often, which it believes will enable US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to “deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent.”
Calling it a “common sense” measure, the USCIS Director, Joseph Edlow, said working in the US is a “privilege, not a right.”
The USCIS recommended that immigrants seek a timely renewal of their EAD by filing a renewal application up to 180 days before it is set to expire. “The longer an alien waits to file an EAD renewal application, the more likely it is that they may experience a temporary lapse in their employment authorization or documentation,” the statement read.
