Hundreds of thousands of migrants may find themselves without a source of income
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the end of the automatic extension of Employment Authorization Documents (EAD). Starting October 30, 2025, millions of workers, including those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), refugees, and spouses of H-1B visa holders and other categories, will lose the ability to continue working while awaiting the processing of their extension applications, reports Chicago24online.
Previously, the EAD extension allowed people to work legally for up to 540 days after their card expired. Now, under the new rules, this right is revoked: work is only permitted after receiving a new approved permit.
DHS justifies the new rule as necessary for increasing control and preventing errors in the issuance of permits, but lawyers and human rights activists argue that this decision is a "blow to legally working migrants" and a "potential threat to the labor market in the U.S."
Experts believe that in 2024, more than 800,000 people took advantage of the automatic extension. Now, they will face prolonged work interruptions, loss of income, and the risk of termination.
Employers hiring foreigners will be forced to check their employees' documents more frequently and temporarily halt their work until a new permit is obtained. This could lead to labor shortages in sectors such as logistics, construction, caregiving, and the restaurant business.
Immigration attorneys recommend that anyone whose EAD is expiring in the coming months apply for an extension in advance, at least 180 days prior, to avoid forced downtime.
A USCIS representative noted that the goal of the reform is to "increase transparency and trust in the immigration system." However, for many workers, this means months of uncertainty and lack of pay.
Photo www
