WASHINGTON - The Immigration and Naturalization Service (BCIS), in response to the current economic crises in Asia, today announced that it is lifting temporarily certain employment restrictions for F-1 student visa holders whose means of financial support come from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea or Thailand, a move aimed at helping eligible students to afford to continue their studies here. The currencies of the five countries have recently plummeted in value relative to the U.S. dollar, causing severe economic hardship for many of the estimated 80,000 students currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities whose financial support is derived from these countries. BCIS' action comes in response to a request from the Secretary of State and is part of the Administration's larger effort to mitigate the impact of the Asian economic crisis. Under the special relief program which goes into effect today, eligible students are allowed to work more than 20 hours per week, either on or off campus, while school is in session. (Regulations permitting authorized full-time employment when school is not in session are unchanged.) USCIS is also lifting the requirement that students must be in F-1 status for one full academic year prior to seeking off-campus employment. Additionally, USCIS will allow the students to take less than a full-time course load, if the school approves, and still maintain their student visa status for the duration of this program, which will remain in effect until it is no longer warranted by economic circumstances. However, undergraduates must register for a minimum of six credit hours per semester and graduate students must register for three credit hours. To be granted special relief, students must demonstrate to school officials that their means of financial support come from one of the five countries covered by the program and that employment is necessary to avoid severe hardship caused by the current economic crises. Once granted, employment authorization will be valid until the student completes his or her course of studies or for one year, whichever comes first. Students who maintain their F-1 visa status can apply to renew authorization.
Courtesy of: American Immigration Lawyers Association