Also known as an EAD or an Employment Authorization Document. A work permit is an official document that allows you to work in the U.S from the United States government. It is a photo identification card and looks a lot like a driver’s license.
You do not need to be a permanent resident, but you need to have an immigrant and non-immigrant visa which will allow you to live and work in the United States
It will cost $485 to apply and will take an average of 5-7 months.
A work visa allows you to live in the United States and work but you must work for a specific employer. You will not be able to work until you get another immigration status if you leave your employer. A work permit is not tied to an employer, but you will need to renew your work permit every year, and only if you have a status that allows you to keep working
The government may deport you, and could bar you from coming to the United States for 3-10 years
DACA recipients, certain exchange visitors, spouses of some visa holders, immigrants with extraordinary ability, approved “temporary workers”, K-1 Fiance Visa holders, immigrants with pending adjustment of status (Green Card applications), Immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED), and F-1 students.
To apply for a work permit you must first have an immigration status that allows you to work in the US, then you will fill out form USCIS Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Once this gets filled out you will need to submit six supporting documents with your I-765 form which includes: a copy of your passport photo page, a copy of your current U.S. visa (if you have one), a copy of your original form I-94 travel record (front and back) or a printout of your electronic I-94 form, copies of any previous work permits (front and back), two 2-inch by 2-inch passport-style photos (print full name and Alien Registration Number, and a copy of the “receipt notice” from the United States government when you submitted your immigrant visa application. You only provide the “receipt notice” if you are applying for a visa after you submitted your immigrant visa application. If you apply at the same time you do not need to send in a notice.
Yes, you will need to apply a copy of your birth certificate from your home country, a copy of your home country photo ID, a copy of a visa received from a consulate of a country other than the United States, and a copy of some other national identity documents that have a photo or fingerprint.
To process Form I-765, USCIS charges $410. You will pay an $85 biometrics fee if you are applying for “Deferred Action” (for example a DACA recipient). These fees change regularly so be sure to check the USCIS’s fee schedule
Once you have completed Form I-765, gathered your documents, and paid the filing fee, you can submit your application for a Work Permit.
You may provide a cover letter with your paperwork so the government knows what they are receiving from you.
If you have never been to the United States, you will need to get a Social Security number (SSN) and a work permit to work legally. Form I-765 allows you to apply for a Social Security number at the same time as your work permit. Once you get to the States, you will need to fill out form I-9, to show proof that you are allowed to work in the United States. Your work permit and Social Security number is all you will need.
No, it is illegal for United States employees to discriminate against you based on your immigration status.
You will have to pay United States payroll and income taxes