The US has cut work permit validity for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants from five years to 18 months as part of a wider immigration crackdown.
US Cuts Work Permit Duration to 18 Months
The Trump administration has sharply reduced the validity period of work permits for refugees, asylum seekers and some other categories of migrants, slashing the maximum duration from five years to just 18 months. The move marks the latest tightening of US immigration policy and comes only days after a high-profile shooting in Washington, DC involving a migrant.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said the new rule would apply to a wide group of people who are legally authorised to work in the country. The change affects both pending cases and all new applications filed on or after 5 December, signalling an immediate shift in how long vulnerable migrants can rely on a single work authorisation document.
Who Is Affected by the New Policy
According to USCIS, the reduced 18-month limit will apply to refugees, individuals who have been granted asylum, people with deportation suspensions and other specific categories of migrants allowed to work in the United States. Previously, many of these groups could receive employment authorisation documents valid for up to five years, giving them a degree of stability while they rebuilt their lives.
Government data shared alongside the announcement illustrates the scale of the policy shift. As of June, there were around 434,000 asylum seekers, 24,000 people granted asylum and more than 12,000 refugees with pending work authorisation applications. All of these groups will now be subject to shorter renewal cycles and more frequent screening, adding fresh uncertainty to their ability to work and support their families over the long term.
Policy Linked to DC National Guard Shooting
The decision comes in the shadow of a recent shooting in Washington, DC, in which two National Guard members were injured. Investigators say the suspect is an Afghan man who entered the United States under a resettlement programme after the 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The case has been seized upon by Trump officials as evidence that previous vetting systems were not strict enough.
USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said the incident underscored the need for tighter screening of those seeking work authorisation. “Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorisation will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” he argued, insisting that shorter validity periods would allow for more frequent security checks.
Part of a Broader Immigration Crackdown
The move on work permits is part of a broader series of measures aimed at reshaping immigration policy. Just 48 hours earlier, the administration froze immigration applications—including green cards and citizenship petitions—for citizens of 19 countries already on US travel-restriction lists. The affected nations reportedly include Afghanistan, Yemen, Haiti, Venezuela, Sudan and Somalia.
President Donald Trump has also pledged to “permanently pause” migration from what he called “Third World countries,” reiterating his promise to scale back immigration and deport millions of people living in the US without legal status. Officials say the shorter work-permit validity will help USCIS regularly vet migrants and more quickly identify individuals with what they describe as “potentially harmful intent.”
Impact on Refugees, Asylum Seekers and the US System
Supporters of the new policy frame it as a national security measure designed to restore public trust in the immigration system by tightening checks on who is allowed to live and work in the country. They argue that more frequent renewals make it easier to cancel authorisation for individuals flagged by security agencies.
Critics, however, warn that cutting work permit validity from five years to 18 months will create greater bureaucratic burdens for already vulnerable people and push many into uncertainty. Refugees and asylum seekers, who often need stable employment to rebuild their lives, may find themselves stuck in constant paperwork cycles, anxious about renewals and delays. Employers could also face disruption if key staff lose their ability to work pending new approvals.
As the changes take effect for both pending and new cases, legal experts expect further debate—and possibly court challenges—over whether the policy strikes the right balance between public safety and the protection of those who came to the US seeking refuge and a chance to start again.
