You cannot simply apply for permission to work in the United States. A work permit is always attached to something else: a pending green card case, a visa that allows it, an asylum application, a program you are in. First applications go wrong on the category code, an old form edition or the wrong fee row, and the package comes back weeks later. New American Hope completes and submits your work permit application for you: you give us your category and your information, we complete Form I-765, you confirm every answer, and we submit it at your request. Here is how to get a work permit, who qualifies and what it costs.
What is a work permit (some people say “job permit”)?
The official name is the Employment Authorization Document, or EAD. It is a plastic card, Form I-766, that proves you are allowed to work in the United States for any employer while it is valid. People call it a work permit, a job permit, or an EAD card. All three mean the same card.
You apply for it with Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Keep the two numbers straight: I-765 is the application you file, I-766 is the card you receive.
The card is not a visa and it is not a status. It does not let you enter the country or stay in it. It only lets you work, and only while the situation it was based on still exists.
Work authorization vs a work permit: not the same thing
“Work authorization” is the legal right to work. A work permit is one document that proves it. Some people have the right without ever holding the card:
- Lawful permanent residents work for anyone using the green card itself. No EAD needed.
- People on employer-specific visas such as H-1B, L-1, or O-1 are authorized to work for the sponsoring employer only. Their visa status is the authorization. They do not get an EAD and cannot use one to work elsewhere.
- Everyone else who wants to work needs a card: people with a pending green card application, spouses of certain visa holders, students on practical training, asylum applicants, TPS holders, parolees.
This guide is for the third group. If you are unsure which group you are in, our guide to the difference between a green card and a visa sorts it out.
Who qualifies for a work permit?
USCIS grants EADs by category code, a letter and number that describes why you are eligible. There are dozens. These are the ones that cover most families we work with, as of September 2026:
| Category | Who it covers | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| (c)(9) | Green card applicant inside the USA | A pending Form I-485 |
| (c)(26) | Spouse of an H-1B worker | H-4 status, with the H-1B holder at an approved I-140 or in extended H-1B time |
| (c)(3) | F-1 student on practical training | OPT or STEM OPT recommended by the school |
| (c)(8) | Asylum applicant | A pending Form I-589, after the waiting period |
| (a)(5) | Person granted asylum | Asylee status |
| (a)(12) / (c)(19) | TPS holder or applicant | Temporary Protected Status |
| (c)(11) | Parolee | A period of parole |
| (a)(6) | K-1 fiance visa holder | Entry on the K-1, valid only until the 90-day window closes |
For the Pakistani-American families who read this site, the big one is (c)(9). If your spouse or parent filed a green card case for you and you are in the United States with a Form I-485 pending, you can apply for a work permit at the same time, and for many people it costs less or nothing extra (see the fees below). Our I-130 vs I-485 guide explains when those two forms are filed together, which is what opens the door to this category.
K-1 holders usually skip the (a)(6) card, because it expires with the 90-day entry window and a fresh application is needed anyway once the I-485 is filed. The K-1 timeline shows where that fits.
If none of these rows look like you, that does not mean you are excluded; the full list is in the Form I-765 instructions. Getting the code wrong is the most common reason a first application is rejected. On a free work permit consultation we go through the published category list with you. The category is yours to give us, and if you need advice on which one applies, we refer you to an attorney.
What a work permit costs
These are the USCIS fees as of September 2026, from Form G-1055 Edition 09/09/26. Our USCIS fee calculator adds up the fees for your own filing.
| Your situation | Fee |
|---|---|
| General filing, online | $470 |
| General filing, paper | $520 |
| Form I-485 filed with a fee on or after 1 April 2024 and still pending | $260, paper or online |
| Form I-485 pending, filed 30 July 2007 to before 1 April 2024, fee paid | $0 |
| Asylum applicant, first EAD, pending I-589 | $0 base plus a separate $560 statutory fee |
| TPS or parole, first EAD | $520 paper / $470 online, plus a separate $560 statutory fee |
Two things trip people up. First, filing online saves $50 and gives you a receipt immediately. Second, the $560 statutory fee that applies to asylum, TPS and parole categories comes from a 2025 law, is paid separately from the filing fee, and cannot be waived. On renewal it becomes $275 for asylum applicants and $280 for TPS and parole, on top of the normal fee. If you are in one of those categories, it has to be budgeted before filing, not after a rejection notice.
The application, stage by stage, and what we handle
| Stage | Where it goes wrong | With New American Hope |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Category code | The wrong code from the table above or the I-765 instructions; everything else depends on it | You give us your category; we complete the I-765 from it and your information |
| 2. Timing | Filing too soon: a (c)(9) can go in with the I-485 or any time after; an asylum applicant must wait; an H-4 spouse needs the I-140 approval or extension first | We go through the published timing rules with you |
| 3. Form edition | A revised Form I-765 dated 09/15/26 takes effect 15 September 2026 with no grace period; old editions postmarked after that are rejected | We always use the current edition, never a saved copy |
| 4. Documents | Missing items: passport identity page, I-94, two passport photos taken within 30 days, any previous EAD, and proof of your category (the I-485 receipt notice, I-140 approval, I-589 receipt and so on) | We gather and organise them with you |
| 5. Filing online | Paper filing is dearer and slower; online you upload documents and the receipt number appears at once | Filed through your own free USCIS account; you review the final summary and we submit it at your request |
| 6. Social Security number | A separate SSA visit, when Form I-765 can pass your details to the Social Security Administration | Completed on the same form if you ask for it |
| 7. Fee | The wrong fee, or a statutory fee not paid separately as USCIS instructs | Matched to your fee row before you pay |
| 8. Biometrics and RFEs | A missed appointment, or a request for evidence answered late | You forward notices; we help you gather what is asked for, and refer you to an attorney if it needs legal argument |
| 9. Validity date | Not noting when the card runs out | We diarise the renewal date when the card arrives |
The wait after filing varies by category and by service center, and published figures move every month. Our EAD processing time guide explains how to read those figures and why some categories move faster than others.
Two rules that changed recently
Cards are shorter now. On 4 December 2025 USCIS cut the maximum validity of a new EAD from five years to 18 months for several categories, including (c)(9) green card applicants, asylum applicants, asylees, and refugees. It applies to any application pending or filed on or after 5 December 2025. A five-year card you already hold is not affected. Parole and TPS cards are limited to the shorter of one year or the end of the parole or TPS period.
The safety net on renewal is gone. Renewals filed on or after 30 October 2025 no longer get an automatic extension while USCIS decides. Put the two changes together and the practical effect is that most people will now renew more often, with no cushion if the renewal runs late. Our guide to work permit renewal covers the 180-day filing window that makes this manageable.
Asylum applicants, one more. As of September 2026 you can file for a work permit 150 days after your Form I-589 was received, and USCIS cannot grant it until the case has been pending 180 days. A proposed rule published on 23 February 2026 would raise the wait to 365 days. It was not final at the time of writing, so the current USCIS rule is what counts.
Doing it yourself vs applying with New American Hope
| On your own | With New American Hope | |
|---|---|---|
| Form and edition | Every page and edition change on you | Completed by us, confirmed by you |
| Documents and fee | Easy to miss a photo or pick the wrong row | Gathered, organised and matched before filing |
| If USCIS asks for more | You respond alone | We help you gather it, or refer you to an attorney |
| Language | English-only forms | English, Urdu or Punjabi |
| Cost | $470 online USCIS fee | The same USCIS fee plus our flat fee, quoted in writing first |
The verdict
Getting a work permit is not hard. A rejected package is what hurts, because it costs weeks at the exact moment you need to earn. The code, the edition and the fee row are exactly the paperwork we carry for you.
Then the card’s expiry date is a deadline from the day it arrives. With 18-month cards and no automatic extension, the renewal is no longer something to think about later; our EAD processing time guide shows what kind of wait to plan around. Book a free consultation, and we will complete your I-765 from your information, you confirm it, and we submit it at your request.
Frequently asked questions
What is a job permit in the USA?
A job permit is the everyday name for the Employment Authorization Document, or EAD, which is the Form I-766 card USCIS issues to people who are allowed to work in the United States but do not hold a green card or an employer-specific work visa. You apply for it with Form I-765. While it is valid, it lets you work for any employer.
Who qualifies for a work permit?
You must fit a USCIS category code. The most common are a pending green card application (Form I-485) inside the USA, spouses of certain H-1B workers, F-1 students on practical training, asylum applicants after the waiting period, asylees, TPS holders and parolees. Green card holders do not need one, and people on employer-specific visas such as H-1B are authorized through their employer rather than a card.
How much does a work permit cost?
As of September 2026, Form I-765 costs $470 filed online or $520 on paper. If you filed Form I-485 with a fee on or after 1 April 2024 and it is still pending, the fee is $260. If your pending Form I-485 was filed between 30 July 2007 and 31 March 2024 with the fee paid, it is $0. Asylum, TPS and parole first applications also carry a separate $560 statutory fee that cannot be waived.
Can I apply for a work permit online?
Yes. Form I-765 can be filed online through a free USCIS account for most categories. Online filing costs $50 less than paper, lets you upload documents instead of mailing them, and gives you a receipt number immediately. The current form edition matters, because a revised edition takes effect on 15 September 2026 with no grace period for the old one.
How long is a work permit valid?
It depends on the category. Since 5 December 2025, new cards for green card applicants, asylum applicants, asylees and refugees are valid for a maximum of 18 months instead of five years. Parole and TPS cards last the shorter of one year or the end of the parole or TPS period. Cards already issued for five years keep that validity. Renewals filed on or after 30 October 2025 receive no automatic extension, so file up to 180 days before expiry.
Can New American Hope help me with my work permit?
Yes. New American Hope LLC is a bonded California immigration consultant, not an attorney, and does not give legal advice; it has helped families with US immigration paperwork for over 10 years. We complete Form I-765 for first applications and renewals from our clients' information, check the documents and fee against the USCIS instructions, submit at their request and keep them updated. The first consultation is free, in English, Urdu or Punjabi: call or WhatsApp +1 (530) 761-2830.
Disclaimer: New American Hope LLC is a private immigration consultancy, not a law firm, government agency, embassy, or consulate. We do not provide legal advice. Information in this article is for general guidance only and may change; always confirm current requirements, fees, and processing times with USCIS (uscis.gov) or the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov). Final decisions on any application are made solely by the relevant government authorities.
← Back to blog