The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will now allow F-1 students that qualify for Special Student Relief (SSR) to work off-campus for longer than one year.
The SSR is a benefit for F-1 students that are citizens of certain countries experiencing a natural disaster, financial crisis, war or military conflict and are struggling to financially support themselves in the United States as a result of the emergency situation. When an emergency situation occurs, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decides if the situation would qualify the country for SSR. If the country is approved for SSR, the DHS would temporarily stop enforcing certain student work eligibility rules for a specified time period.
Previously, USCIS allowed SSR off-campus work authorization for up to one year. Now, USCIS may allow off-campus work authorization up to the SSR time period stated in the country-specific Federal Register notice, which is typically 18 months. However, F-1 students’ work authorization cannot extend past the student’s academic program end date.
This update is effective immediately and applies to all pending and future applications for SSR work authorization. Qualified students must maintain their F-1 status and provide proof to their designated school official that shows they were lawfully present in the United States during the time period stated in the related Federal Register notice to be certified for SSR on their Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS) record and their Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. Before beginning off-campus work, SSR eligible students must file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization with the USCIS to receive the Employment Authorization Document.
If you have any questions regarding the SSR benefit and this updated work authorization policy for F-1 students, or any other immigration related matter, please do not hesitate to contact KILO Immigration by filling out this contact form.