Expedited EADs for Healthcare Workers

USCIS will consider requests to expedite the processing of applications to renew Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for healthcare workers.

Effective December 28, 2021, US Citizenship and Immigration Service will consider requests to expedite the processing of applications to renew EADs for qualifying health care workers. Qualifying health care workers can request expedited issuance of their EAD if:

They have a pending EAD renewal application filed on Form I-765; and
They have an EAD that expires within 30 days or less, or that has already
expired.

Qualified healthcare workers are listed in the Department of Homeland Security’s Advisory Memorandum on Ensuring Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers’ Ability to Work During The COVID-19 Response and includes individuals who provide direct patient care and support services, including but not limited to:

Physicians
Dentists
Psychologists
Midlevel practitioners
Nurses
Emergency medical services personnel, assistants and aids
Infection control and quality assurance personnel
Phlebotomists
Pharmacists
Physical, respiratory, speech and occupational therapists and assistants
Social workers
Optometrists
Speech pathologists
Chiropractors
Diagnostic and therapeutic technicians
Radiology technologists

How to Request Expedited EADs

A Form I-765 employment authorization document or EAD card, is a work permit document issued by USCIS that provides temporary employment authorization to noncitizens in the United States. Over the past 2 years, processing times for EADs have increased considerably. Health care workers who need an expedited EAD are advised to contact USCIS by phone to request the expedite.

The health care worker should be prepared to provide documentation and other
evidence to support their request and current employment as a health care
worker.
A decision on the expedite request is only a decision on whether the request
whether the EAD will be expedited, not approval or denial of the EAD.

Do You Need An Expedited EAD?

Immigration law changes frequently and often has confusing instructions and documentation requirements. A missed deadline or missing documentation can lead to delays or denials, and cause you time, money and stress. Garvish Immigration Law Group represents business, corporate and employment-based immigration clients across the globe. We work with corporate in-house Human Resources teams and assist startups, foreign investors and multinational companies who want to open a location in the United States or bring key personnel to their U.S. location.