Immigration Reforms to Expedite Work Authorization and Validity Times for Certain Noncitizens

  United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will accelerate the handling of Form I-765 Applications for Employment Authorization, commonly referred to as EADs, for parolees who have scheduled inspection appointments through CBP One. Eligible individuals will be able to apply for employment authorization immediately.

USCIS has set an ambitious target of reducing the average processing time for EADs from 90 days to just 30 days for these parolees. To accomplish this goal, USCIS will be dedicating additional personnel and resources to the process. Furthermore, USCIS aims to achieve the same 30-day processing time for EADs associated with the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parole programs.

In a bid to enhance efficiency, USCIS will also extend the maximum validity period of initial and renewal EADs to five years for certain noncitizens. This extension will apply to those admitted as refugees or granted asylum, recipients of withholding of removal, and applicants for asylum, adjustment of status, or cancellation of removal. USCIS anticipates that this extension will reduce the need for frequent work authorization renewals, ultimately decreasing the agency's workload and processing times. Currently, work permits for asylum seekers are typically issued for a two-year duration.

Additionally, the Biden administration is actively working to raise awareness about the issue of parolees failing to apply for work authorization despite their eligibility. This includes individuals paroled into the United States after making an appointment through CBP One, as well as Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan parolees, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants who are immediately eligible to seek work authorization.

To address this, the government has implemented a communication strategy involving email and SMS notifications to inform eligible parolees of their right to apply for employment authorization. USCIS has already dispatched more than 1.4 million emails and text notifications to remind these individuals of their eligibility and the benefits of seeking work authorization promptly.

For more information, visit the Fact Sheet: The Biden-Harris Administration Takes New Actions to Increase Border Enforcement and Accelerate Processing for Work Authorizations, While Continuing to Call on Congress to Act | Homeland Security (dhs.gov) page.