The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will no longer grant automatic work permit extensions to migrant workers, a policy shift expected to hit thousands of foreign employees, especially Indian nationals, starting October 30, 2025.
In a statement released Wednesday, DHS announced that migrants who file to renew their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) on or after October 30 will no longer receive automatic extensions. EADs that were extended before that date will not be affected.
The change ends a Biden-era policy that allowed immigrants to keep working after their work permits expired, provided they had applied for renewal on time. The Trump administration, now overseeing DHS policy, said the updated rule focuses on increased “vetting and screening to protect public safety and national security.”
Joseph Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), described the move as a “common sense” measure and said that “working in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right.”
Under the new guidelines, migrants risk a lapse in employment if their renewal application is delayed. DHS said stricter reviews will help USCIS “deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent.”
Indian nationals, who make up a large segment of the U.S. foreign workforce in sectors like technology and healthcare, are likely to be disproportionately affected. Companies dependent on skilled foreign labor could face staffing disruptions due to permit delays.
Limited exceptions to the policy remain. These include automatic extensions allowed by law or via Federal Register notices, such as for workers covered under Temporary Protected Status.
USCIS recommends migrants file renewal applications up to 180 days before their EAD expires. “The longer an alien waits to file… the more likely it is that they may experience a temporary lapse in their employment authorization,” the agency said.