The US government’s decision to end the automatic extension of Employment Authorisation Documents as announced on Wednesday. This change coming into effect on Oct. 30, poses a major disruption for Indian nationals.
Indian nationals account for a dominant 71% of all approved H-1B visa beneficiaries, the largest skilled foreign worker category. The critical change means that any bureaucratic delay in processing EAD renewals will immediately result in a lapse of legal work status, leading directly to mandatory unpaid leave or job loss for a portion of the Indian tech workforce.
Applicants seeking to renew their EADs after the effective date have been advised by USCIS to file requests up to 180 days before their current permits expire.
This extended filing window is now crucial, as failure to receive the physical permit before the existing one expires will result in the immediate loss of work authorisation. The rule will not impact permits already extended before Oct. 30.
The Department of Homeland Security announced the new rule, asserting it is intended to strengthen background checks and screening before work permits are renewed.
