AILA: Automatic Extension of Work Permits Will Help American Economy, Workers, and Families

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) welcomed the advance copy of a temporary final rule in which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) modified the period of automatic extensions of work permits for up to 540 days to ensure that workers do not experience a gap in authorized work due to processing delays. AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Sharvari Dalal-Dheini responded to the news:

“The crisis-level backlogs at USCIS mean that through no fault of their own, work-authorized foreign nationals and employers have faced huge obstacles during an already tight labor market. AILA and its partners and members have been advocating for this simple step, which will immediately allow families and employers to breathe a sigh of relief and ensure our nation’s shared prosperity continues to grow. This sensible and good government approach to policymaking deserves applause and we urge the Biden Administration to work quickly to take other similarly easy steps forward that would make a real difference in reducing backlogs. These changes, like the lengthened work permit extensions, will make a significant difference across the board.”