USCIS Slashes Work Permit Validity to 18 Months for Protected Immigrants

The U.S. government has dramatically shortened work permit validity for vulnerable immigrant groups. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the change on December 5, 2025. The new rules affect refugees, asylees, and other legally protected individuals nationwide.

The agency cited national security concerns as the primary reason. Officials specifically referenced a recent attack in Washington, D.C. They argue more frequent vetting is now essential for public safety.

USCIS reduced the maximum Employment Authorization Document (EAD) validity from five years to just 18 months. This applies to several humanitarian categories. According to the agency’s statement, the change is effective immediately for all pending and new applications.

The policy impacts refugees and those granted asylum. It also affects immigrants with withholding of removal. People with pending asylum or green card applications are included too.

A separate change limits other groups to even shorter periods. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and parolees now face a maximum one-year validity. These changes stem from recent legislative action.

USCIS directly linked the policy to last week’s attack on National Guard members. Director Joseph Edlow stated frequent vetting is necessary to identify threats. The agency believes a five-year gap between security checks was too long.

Forcing renewals every 18 months creates more vetting opportunities. Officials say this helps ensure individuals do not threaten public safety. The goal is to identify and process any potential threats for removal sooner.

Immigrant advocates strongly criticize the move. They argue it will worsen existing application backlogs at USCIS. Critics also view it as a deterrent to asylum seekers and humanitarian migrants.