Employment relief for Ethiopian F-1 students facing severe economic hardship

Policy effect

Eligible Ethiopian F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship from armed conflict and the humanitarian crisis may request employment authorization, work additional hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while maintaining F-1 status.

Conditions and exceptions

Recorded validated scope: employment authorization and course load requirements.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of the Current Armed Conflict and the Current Humanitarian Crisis in Ethiopia AGENCY: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security is suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students from Ethiopia who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current armed conflict and the current humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. The Secretary is providing relief to these students who are in lawful F-1 nonimmigrant status, so the students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 nonimmigrant status. DATES: This action is effective June 13, 2024, through December 12, 2025. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Snyder, Unit Chief, Policy and Response Unit, Student and Exchange Visitor Program, MS 5600, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 500 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20536-5600; email: <a href=" … state labor laws limiting the employment of minors. May an eligible F-1 nonimmigrant student who already has on-campus or off-campus employment authorization benefit from the suspension of regulatory requirements under this notice? Yes. An F-1 nonimmigrant student who is an Ethiopian citizen, regardless of country of birth (or an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ethiopia), who already has on-campus or off-campus employment authorization and is otherwise eligible may benefit under this notice, which suspends certain regulatory requirements relating to the minimum …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United States changes operative in 2024

• 2024-01-24USCIS Policy Update on Untimely Filed Requests for Extension of Stay and Change of Status
• 2024-01-29State Department announces domestic H-1B visa renewal pilot
• 2024-02-26DHS adjusts premium processing fees
• 2024-04-01DHS finalizes USCIS fee schedule changes effective April 2024
• 2024-04-08DHS again temporarily increases EAD automatic extension period to 540 days
• 2024-05-26suspension of the employment limitations is available through November 25, 2025
• 2024-06-05DHS and DOJ issue Securing the Border asylum interim final rule
• 2024-06-05Presidential Proclamation 10773 — Securing the Border
• 2024-06-13The Secretary is also redesignating Ethiopia for TPS.
• 2024-07-01HHS unaccompanied children foundational rule takes effect
• 2024-08-19DHS implements Keeping Families Together parole-in-place process
• 2024-08-28DHS corrects T nonimmigrant final rule before effective date
• 2024-09-10Extension of Form I-90 Green Card Validity to 36 Months for Renewals
• 2024-10-02EB-1 Extraordinary Ability Evidentiary Criteria Clarification
• 2024-11-07DHS adds Belize to H-2A and H-2B eligible-country lists
• 2024-12-02DHS and DOL add 64,716 H-2B visas for FY2025