Work permit, visa extension: Relief for foreign students stranded in US

The US said that non-immigrant visa holders, who are facing challenges due to Covid-19, might be provided special consideration or expedited processing on a case-by-case basis

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Tuesday announced that stranded international students facing economic hardships in the country can apply for off-campus work authorisation.

This is seen as a major relief to hundreds and thousands of international students, including those from India, who have been facing a tough situation for the past several weeks now.

In a statement, the federal agency said if anyone experiencing severe economic hardship because of unforeseen circumstances beyond control, they may request employment authorisation to work off-campus. All applications are subject to approval in a case-by-case basis, it said.

Examples of unforeseen