In the days before Narendra Modi’s late June visit to the United States, the Biden administration has eased some of the eligibility requirements for certain visas and to get a green card, which allows for permanent US residency. As of June 14, two new categories of immigrants will be eligible to apply for employment authorization. The first category is individuals who have been living in the United States but have experienced an event, including the loss of a job, that puts them in adverse circumstances (such as the potential loss of their home, among others). This category is likely to apply to many Indians who have been affected by layoffs in the tech sector. The second category is individuals whose employment-based applications have already been approved, but who have been waiting for visa availability due to the large number of applicants from their country. This second category is likely to be most relevant to applicants from India and China. Applicants in both categories will need to supply detailed documentation. According to Suresh Rajan of LCR Partners, these changes show that USCIS is paying attention to the struggles of immigrants who are trying to start their lives in the United States: “This will significantly help people of Indian origin who have been on H-1B visas for years and have been affected by the recent tech layoffs.

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