DHS Proposes Ending Work Permits for H-4 Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has placed a proposal on its regulatory agenda that could end employment authorization for certain spouses of H-1B visa holders, a move that would reverse a 2015 policy and potentially affect tens of thousands of families, particularly from India. The proposal, titled "Removing H4 Dependent Spouses From the Classes of Noncitizens Eligible for Employment Authorization," seeks to remove H-4 dependent spouses from the list of those eligible for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).