Great news – Asylum seekers will now receive 5-year work permits!

Last updated on September 22, 2023

Great news! Asylum seekers will now receive work permits that are valid for 5 years. Previously, work permits for asylum seekers were valid for 2 years.

USCIS will start to issue 5-year work permits on October 1, 2023. This change applies to both initial work permits and renewal work permits for asylum seekers.

Because work permits are now valid for longer, you will not have to renew your work permit as frequently as before. Instead of renewing every 2 years, you can renew your work permit every 5 years.

In addition to asylum seekers, the following people will also receive 5-year work permits:

• People who won asylum or withholding of removal,
• People who are applying for permanent residence (also known as a “green card”), and
• People who are applying for cancellation of removal in immigration court.

Thank you to ASAP members who fought for this change and won! Many members told the government through ASAP that work permits should be valid for longer. The government listened to the voices of thousands of ASAP members.

You can learn about how to apply for a work permit as an asylum seeker here. You can also learn more about ASAP’s work permit advocacy here.

Note: This information is not a substitute for advice from an attorney.