USCIS Increases Screening, Vetting of Aliens Working in U.S.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a significant policy shift reducing the maximum validity period for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) in several categories. Effective December 5, 2025, the validity for initial and renewal EADs will drop from five years back to 18 months for refugees, asylees, parolees, TPS holders, and applicants for asylum or adjustment of status.  In employer-sponsored petitions, this may impact planning for those who have EADs as a result of a pending green card application.

While the stated goal is enhanced security, the practical impact on employers and foreign nationals is substantial. The shortened validity period creates a constant cycle of renewals: individuals receive an EAD, wait approximately nine months, and then must file a new application six months before expiration to avoid gaps in work authorization. This cycle is exacerbated by the recent elimination of automatic extensions for timely-filed renewals, which previously provided up to 540 days of continued work authorization. Now, if processing delays exceed the validity of the existing EAD, employees risk falling out of work authorization, forcing employers to remove them from payroll.

Employers should immediately review EADs expiring within the next 12 months and prepare renewal filings as early as USCIS allows, currently 180 days before expiration. Online filing for eligible categories (TPS, asylum, and adjustment of status) is strongly recommended to mitigate delays. Given these changes, proactive Form I-9 compliance and re-verification planning are critical to avoid disruptions.

For more details, see USCIS’s official announcement https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-increases-screening-vetting-of-aliens-working-in-us.