The US government has reduced the validity of work permits for hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the United States from five years to 18 months. This includes those who have applied for asylum or other humanitarian programs such as DACA for undocumented youth who arrived in the country as children.

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An update on Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on December 4 details that the measure applies to both renewals and new applications.

The rule allows the US government to conduct more frequent reviews of immigrants’ eligibility.

The federal agency explains that applicants should submit their renewals well in advance to avoid interruptions in their employment authorization, although permits issued before December 4 will remain valid until their expiration.

Among the affected groups are asylum seekers, beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), refugees, individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and other humanitarian categories recognized by USCIS.

The rule affects individuals with a stay of deportation, individuals with pending asylum applications, applicants with pending applications for adjustment of status (residence adjustment), and individuals with pending applications under special humanitarian programs, such as the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA), among others.

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