USCIS Limits Work Permits to 18 Months

Several large immigrant categories will now receive employment authorization documents valid for a maximum of 18 months, down from five years.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Immigration

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a plain stone government building facade with tall windows against a cream field, conveying institutional weight. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services cut the maximum validity of work permits for several large immigrant categories from five years to 18 months. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the government shorten work permit validity for immigrants with pending cases?

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has cut the maximum validity of work permits for several large immigrant categories from five years to 18 months. The change applies to applications filed on or after December 5, 2025, and covers both new permits and renewals.

Why it matters

Shorter work authorization periods mean more frequent renewals for affected immigrants, including asylum applicants, refugees, asylees, and green card applicants, which may affect their ability to remain employed without interruption across the United States. Five-year cards already issued remain valid until they expire.

The maximum work permit validity drops from 5 years to 18 months for several categories, with TPS and parole limits often shorter and tied to one year or the authorized stay period. The source does not state how many permit holders are affected.

The players

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

The federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security that adjudicates immigration benefits, including employment authorization documents, and issued the rule change.

The details

USCIS applies the 18-month cap to new permits and renewals for asylum applicants with pending cases, refugees, asylees, people with pending green card applications, and beneficiaries of withholding of removal, cancellation of removal, NACARA, TPS, and parole. The previous automatic 540-day extension period is no longer applied under the rule.

December 5, 2025: Cutoff filing date after which applications fall under the new 18-month maximum.
November 3, 2026: Date this report on the rule change was published.

Policy Shift

The change reverses USCIS's previous practice of issuing work permits valid for up to five years to certain immigrant categories, shifting toward shorter authorization periods. Permits for TPS and parole recipients can already be shorter, often tied to one year or the authorized stay.

Affected immigrants holding permits issued after December 5, 2025 will need to renew sooner than before, potentially more than once every five years. Those with five-year cards already issued can keep using them until they expire.

The takeaway

Immigrants in the affected categories should track their permit expiration dates closely, since renewals will now come at least every 18 months for new or renewed documents under the rule.