The move to repeal work authorisation to certain categories of H-4 visa holders is in final stages, the Trump administration has told a US court, a decision that could hit tens of thousands of Indians.
An H-4 visa is a visa issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to immediate family members (spouse and children under 21 years of age) of the H-1B visa holders.
H-4 visa holders were not allowed to work for pay in America until the Obama government changed the rule in 2015. Now as part of President Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” policy, the Department of Homeland Security stated that it intended to end the rule.
The Department of Homeland Security has notified a US federal appeals court that the draft proposal will soon be sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.
Once the OMB review process is completed, the DHS will formally notify about the termination of work visa for H-4 spouses through the Federal Register. The DHS will then provide a period of 30 days to 60 days for public comment, during which, individuals and employers can give feedback on the ruling. The feedback provided by individuals and employers will be reviewed by the DHS to issue the final ruling and will take the call on announcing the final ruling on the H4 EAD.
India is in talks with the US over the H-4 EAD. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her annual press conference said that India is doing all it can to stop this move.
Amit Solanki, Immigration Assistant
Keywords: H-4 visa, Revoke, DHS, EAD, Trump administration
