The Trump administration changed the rules for work visa renewals and foreign workers, especially Indian professionals in the US, are set to be hit the hardest.
Effective today, Oct 30, foreign professionals will lose work authorisation if their renewal is not approved before the work visa expires. The new rule has limited exceptions. Remember, these fresh curbs on work visas come shortly after Trump in September declared that the US will start charging a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas.
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) new ‘interim final rule’ thus ends the Biden-era policy of automatic extensions. Under that policy, migrants’ whose work permits were expiring were granted an automatic 540-day renewal once they filed a new application, even before USCIS performed any of its verification checks.
Citing national security concerns, such as the June 2025 attack in Boulder, Colorado, the DHS wants to ensure that applicants are still entitled under the program, and that they have a clean record.
Work permits, officially known as Employment Authorization Documents or EADs, are one of the world’s most sought after visas. Not only do they open up opportunities for legal jobs in the US, but often are a proxy for some tentative legal status. For example, work visa holders can get Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses and could even obtain a few taxpayer benefits. But no more.
Indians looking to get a US green card, be wary. Unfortunately, due to per-country caps, Indians already face some of the longest wait times.
So, if one doesn't renew their work visa before it expires, they could lose their job whilst waiting, or worse, risk deportation. Hence, the Trump administration recommends workers file renewal applications up to 6 months or 180 days before their permits expire.
