The Biden administration announced earlier today that it will extend the eligibility of work permit renewals to 540 days for those awaiting approval. Please see below a statement from Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, as well as some key facts on the announcement.
“Immigrants want to work, to be productive members of our society, to add to the rich fabric of our country and to provide for themselves and their families. We’re pleased that the Biden administration and Department of Homeland Security plan to improve the work permit renewal process and preserve the opportunity to work for as many as 800,000 immigrants. In Massachusetts, empowering new immigrants to find work will help them and our entire state, which needs more workers to fill a critical workforce shortage that is only expected to get worse. We need the federal government to build on this progress to reduce work permit wait times for first-time applicants so new immigrants can get out of the emergency shelter system even quicker by finding work and homes, which we know they are eager to do.”
Here are some key facts on the announcement:
- The rule is expected to benefit as many as 800,000 immigrants who would likely lose their work authorization otherwise. This applies to asylum seekers, refugees, green card applicants, and others.
- The rule will aid immigrants who applied for work permit renewal on or after October 27, 2023.
- Immigrants must renew their work authorization by September 30, 2025 to be eligible for the new rule. The rule will remain in place until September 20, 2027, when the last extensions will have expired.