Trump Administration Eyes Rollback of H-1B Spouse Work Rights
What Happened
The Trump administration is considering a proposal to end work authorization for certain H-4 visa holders, who are spouses of H-1B workers. The move would reverse a 2015 policy that allowed eligible H-4 spouses to obtain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and work legally in the US. The proposal has been added to the Department of Homeland Security's regulatory agenda but has not yet become a rule. Existing H-4 EAD holders can continue working under current regulations for now.
Key Takeaways
Indian families are likely to be the most affected because 93% of H-4 EAD approvals between 2014 and 2017 went to Indian nationals, and most beneficiaries were women. If implemented, the proposal could impact thousands of dual-income H-1B households already facing lengthy US green card backlogs.