US shortens work permits, affecting many Indian workers
For Indian applicants stuck in decades-long green card backlogs, these changes may deepen uncertainty and complicate their long-term plans.
Washington: In a sweeping policy shift that will have far-reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals and families navigating the US immigration system, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced major reductions to the maximum validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). The agency said the move is intended to enhance national-security vetting and enable more frequent review of individuals working in the United States. According to USCIS, the revised policy will increase its ability to “deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent,” ensuring that those posing risks can be identified and processed for removal.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow linked the decision directly to public-safety concerns, citing a recent attack involving National Guard service members in Washington. He emphasized that the incident, allegedly committed by an individual admitted under a previous administration, underscored the need for more robust, frequent checks.
The updated guidance sharply impacts several visa categories heavily used by Indian nationals, particularly employment-based green card applicants and H-1B workers with pending adjustment of status applications. Under the new rules, EADs issued to refugees, asylees, individuals granted withholding of removal, applicants with pending asylum or withholding claims, and those filing for adjustment under INA 245 will now carry a maximum validity of 18 months instead of the previous five-year period. These changes apply to all applications “pending or filed on or after December 5, 2025,” according to the Policy Alert.
Parallel restrictions introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) impose even shorter limits on individuals paroled into the United States, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries, those with pending TPS applications, and spouses of entrepreneur parolees. Their work permits will be capped at a single year or the length of the underlying TPS or parole period, whichever is shorter. These limits affect all Forms I-765 “pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025.”
The Federal Register notice outlining these changes also introduces new statutory fees—$550 for specific initial applications and $275 for renewals—that USCIS is barred from waiving under H.R. 1. Most of the collected revenue will be deposited into the US Treasury, with only a portion retained by USCIS to support its operations.
For Indian applicants trapped in green card backlogs stretching decades, the revised rules may heighten anxiety and logistical strain. Many depend on long-validity EAD and Advance Parole documents to maintain stable employment for years while awaiting permanent residency. Immigration attorney Emily Neumann warned that reducing validity periods will intensify pressure on already overburdened processing systems. She noted that the shift to 18-month EADs, combined with the likely shortening of Advance Parole validity and the end of automatic EAD renewals, will lead to more frequent filings, more delays, and increased risk of employment interruptions.
The Indian diaspora—one of the primary user groups of employment-based visa categories—is expected to be among the most affected. With per-country limits slowing green card allocation, uninterrupted work authorization is essential for thousands of Indian professionals in technology, healthcare, research, and academia. USCIS backlogs have expanded significantly in recent years as applications related to asylum, parole, TPS, and adjustment of status have risen. The newly announced limits, effective December 5 for the 18-month categories and July 22 for the H.R. 1 one-year permits, are poised to add further strain to an already congested system.