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New Delhi: US President Donald Trump’s insistence on changing US immigration policies seems unending. The latest change occurred on Wednesday when the US Department of Homeland Security announced an interim rule ending the automatic extension of Employment Authorisation Documents (EAD) for migrant workers. A momentous move, this is likely to have severe effects on numerous foreign employees in the US, among them a large number of Indians.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Department said, “Aliens who file to renew their EAD on or after October 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD.” Those whose work permits were automatically extended before this date will not be affected. The Department said the change is part of a broader effort to increase “vetting and screening to protect public safety and national security.”
The change in rule refers to an Employment Authorisation Document (Form I-766). It is issued to individuals who are not US citizens or permanent residents but are authorised to work for a specific period. The rules governing the employment of foreign workers in the US are complex and the EAD documents form a part of this layered system.
While those holding a Green Card do not need an EAD, others do. Non-immigrant work visa holders with visas as diverse as H-1B, L-1B, O, or P are not required to apply for this document. The new rule, replaces a Biden-era stipulation, allowing immigrants to continue working in the US for up to 540 days after their work permits expired. This also saw that they had applied for renewal in time and met eligibility criteria. The new rule though is even more stringent.
The move is part of the larger Trump administration’s shift on more strict immigration policy. With the new change in rule, those impacted most would be spouses of H-1B non-immigrants who hold an H-4 Visa and have an EAD. Many Indian spouses working in the US fall under this category.
The change thus is most relevant for them. For Indian spouses with H-4 status and H-4 EAD work permit, they would have to file for an EAD renewal on or after October 30, 2025. Under the new rule they will not get automatic extension. If the current EAD expires before the renewal is adjudicated, the spouse must stop working until the new EAD is issued. This is perhaps the most worrying aspect of the changed rule that can affect many Indians.
