The US government is changing the way migrants renew their permission to work. Starting next year, people who hold work permits, officially called Employment Authorization Documents, or EADs, will no longer get an automatic extension when they apply to renew them.
The Department of Homeland Security says the change, which takes effect on October 30, 2025, is meant to make sure every renewal goes through full background checks and vetting before being approved.
\Migrants will have to wait until their applications are fully processed before their work permits are extended.
“USCIS is placing a renewed emphasis on robust alien screening and vetting, eliminating policies the former administration implemented that prioritized aliens’ convenience ahead of Americans’ safety and security,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow.
He added, “It’s a commonsense measure to ensure appropriate vetting and screening has been completed before an alien’s employment authorization or documentation is extended. All aliens must remember that working in the United States is a privilege, not a right.”
What are the changes in the new rule?
The new rule reverses a Biden-era policy that had automatically extended work permits for up to 540 days while USCIS processed renewal applications.
This allowed individuals to continue working in the US before background checks and eligibility reviews were complete, potentially creating national security vulnerabilities.
Trump administration’s new approach requires all applicants to undergo full revetting before renewals can be approved. DHS officials said more frequent review of migrants’ backgrounds will help recognise fraud and identify individuals who may pose security risks.
There are limited exceptions to the new rule, including automatic extensions granted under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or other situations specifically provided by law or through Federal Register notices.
USCIS is urging non-citizens to file renewal applications well in advance (up to 180 days before their current EAD expires) to avoid gaps in work authorisation once automatic extensions end.
The agency clarified that EADs already automatically extended before October 30, 2025, will not be affected by the rule change.