Work Authorization for H-4 visa holders

On May 6, 2014, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a press release which announced that certain spouses of H-1B visa holders will soon be eligible for work authorization. The new rule will not apply to all H-4 visa holders - the work permits will be limited to those whose H-1B spouses are either:

• Beneficiaries of an approved I-140 immigrant visa petition, or
• Have been granted H-1B extensions beyond their 6th year.

This comes as a welcome news for the families whose green cards sponsored through employment visa can often take many years. Not only will the work authorization allow both spouses to work to make it easier to financially sustain their families, but the US economy will certainly benefit from additional skilled workers who often times hold advanced degrees.

It is important to remember that the final rule has not yet been published and no applications should be filed at this time.

We will keep you updated with the developments - stay tuned!

E-mail us if at any time you have questions about immigration or need legal assistance.

This is often very challenging to the spouse, and challenging to families who must sustain themselves on a single income. Such conditions go against the White House’s stated goal of retaining highly-skilled workers, and do nothing to encourage the U.S. economy,
Read more at http://www.indiawest.com/news/18771-spouses-of-h-1b-visa-holders-finally-allowed-to-work-dhs.html#zt3GgRSwMbLyvhBi.99