US ends auto-renewal of work permits for migrants, Indians to be impacted

In a move to further tighten immigration rules, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ended the automatic renewal of work permits for migrant workers, a decision expected to affect thousands of Indian employees who make up a large share of the foreign workforce.

The DHS said the new rule, which comes into effect from today, was enforced for the “proper screening and vetting” of migrant workers before extending the Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs).

"Aliens who file to renew their EAD on or after October 30, 2025, will no longer receive an automatic extension of their EAD... Ending automatic extensions of EADs results in more frequent vetting of aliens who apply for employment authorisation to work in the US," the DHS said in a statement.

"Reviewing an alien’s background will often enable US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to deter fraud and detect aliens with potentially harmful intent so they can be processed for removal from the country," it added.

USCIS chief Joseph Edlow described the rule as a "common-sense measure to ensure appropriate vetting and screening are completed before an alien’s employment authorisation or documentation is extended."

He also issued a stark reminder that "working in the US is a privilege, not a right."

Under the administration of former President Joe Biden, migrant workers were allowed to keep working if their permits had expired, provided that they applied for a renewal on time.

According to official data, nearly 450,000 people apply for EAD extensions in the US every year, with the USCIS processing some 49,000 applications per month.

This latest anti-immigration measure comes over a month after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation imposing a new annual USD 100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, sending shockwaves among the expat workforce.

The proclamation represented one of the most sweeping changes to the program for highly skilled foreign workers since its creation in 1990.

According to official data, India accounted for 71 per cent of all approved H-1B visa recipients, while China made up 11.7 per cent. H-1B visas are typically granted for periods between three and six years.

The US issues 85,000 H-1B visas annually through a lottery system. This year, Amazon received the most, with over 10,000 approvals, followed by Tata Consultancy, Microsoft, Apple and Google. California hosts the largest concentration of H-1B workers, according to USCIS.

In a related development earlier this week, the DHS issued new border regulations requiring all non-US citizens, including Green Card holders, to be photographed when entering and leaving the country. The measure will take effect on December 26.

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