New change starts for those with US work permits. Who’s affected?
The Trump administration on Thursday said it would reduce the amount of time work permits are valid for refugees, asylum recipients and other immigrants who have legal protections in the U.S.
For some Broward residents who are legal immigrants, this means that starting Friday, Dec. 5, their work permits will need to be renewed every 18 months, instead of every five years.
And beginning Jan. 1, it will cost $560 to apply for a work permit, a $10 increase, which means it will now cost over $1,800 to obtain a work permit for a five-year period.
While the actual number of affected Broward residents is unclear, the policy change has the potential to impact many people in the county, where over a third of residents are foreign-born, according to 2020 U.S. Census figures. Some of the biggest cities in Broward County, including Pembroke Pines, Hollywood and Miramar, have even higher foreign-born populations, with over 40% of residents in those cities saying they were born outside of the U.S., data shows.
The change is meant to allow immigration officials to check these applicants more frequently for fraud or security concerns, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. That means more regular vetting and more frequent fees for work permits, officially called Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). The idea is to monitor applicants more closely.
“Reducing the maximum validity period for employment authorization will ensure that those seeking to work in the United States do not threaten public safety or promote harmful anti-American ideologies,” USCIS Director Joseph Edlow said in a news release.
The fatal shooting of National Guard officers in Washington D.C. last month was cited as one of the reasons for the crackdown on work permits.
“After the attack on National Guard service members in our nation’s capital by an alien who was admitted into this country by the previous administration, it’s even more clear that USCIS must conduct frequent vetting of aliens,” Edlow said.
Who’s affected?
Anyone applying for a work permit in the following categories will be affected:
- Those admitted as refugees
- Those granted asylum
- Those granted withholding of deportation or removal
- Those with pending applications for asylum or withholding of removal
- Those with pending applications for adjustment of status under INA 245
- Those with pending applications for suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal or relief under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act.
A separate federal law also limits some work permits to no more than one year — and sometimes less — for individuals who:
- Have Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Are waiting for a TPS decision
- Were granted parole, including refugee parole
- Have a spouse with entrepreneur parole
For these groups, work permits will last no more than one year. That rule applies to applications pending or filed on or after July 22, 2025.
The new policy was announced just as the administration rolled out changes affecting immigrants from countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Haiti and Afghanistan, including those with TPS or certain forms of humanitarian parole.
What Broward residents should know
Apply early to avoid gaps in work authorization.
Review which category you fall under and how often you will now need to renew.
For more information on applications for employment authorization, visit the USCIS employment authorization document page .
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
