Automatic work authorization permit to spouses of H1B visa holders

New York : In a new announcement, Biden administration has allowed automatic work authorisation permits to spouses of H-1B visas holders. This will benefit thousands of Indian-Americans working in the US.

The settlement in this regard was reached by the Department of Homeland Security in a class-action lawsuit, which was filed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) on behalf of immigrant spouses this summer.

"This (H-4 visa holders) is a group that always met the regulatory test for an automatic extension of EADs (employment authorisation documents), but the agency previously prohibited them from that benefit and forced them to wait for reauthorisation. People were suffering. They were losing their high-paying jobs for absolutely no legitimate reason causing harm to them and US businesses," Jon Wasden from AILA said.

"We are delighted to have reached this agreement, which includes relief for H-4 spouses, through our litigation efforts with Wasden Banias and Steven Brown. It is gratifying that the administration saw that settling the litigation for non-immigrant spouses was something that should be done, and done quickly," said Jesse Bless, AILA director of federal litigation.

The Obama administration had earlier allowed a certain category of spouses of H1B Visa holders. More than 90,000 H4 Visa holders are currently staying in the US.