Economic Hardship employment authorization is permission granted to F-1 students by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work off-campus due to specific economic hardship criteria.
What is Economic Hardship Employment Authorization?
It is a permission granted to F-1 students by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work off-campus based on “severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the student’s control” [8CFR 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(c)].
Who is eligible for Economic Hardship Employment Authorization?
To be eligible for Economic Hardship employment authorization, you must document that:
- You have been in valid F-1 status for at least one academic year (two semesters).
- You are experiencing economic hardship based on unforeseen circumstances (see below) that arose after obtaining F-1 status.
- You are currently in good academic standing and are carrying a full course load.
- Part-time Canadian border commuter students are not eligible for Economic Hardship work authorization.
- Employment opportunities on campus are unavailable or insufficient.
- Acceptance of employment will not interfere with your full-time study.
What are “unforeseen circumstances”?
- Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment resulting from circumstances beyond the student’s control
- Substantial fluctuations in the exchange rate or value of the home country’s currency
- Unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s financial sponsor
- Unexpected medical bills
- Other substantial and unexpected expenses
How do I apply?
- First, submit an Economic Hardship application and supporting documents (see below) to ISS.
- When your application is complete, ISS will enter your Economic Hardship application into the SEVIS system and produce a new I-20 with the Economic Hardship recommendation.
- Pick up your new I-20 from ISS.
- Submit the Economic Hardship application and supporting documents to the USCIS Service Center.
- If approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (“EAD card”) from the USCIS Service Center.
- Bring a copy of your EAD card to ISS.
What documents do I send ISS to request the Economic Hardship I-20?
- Update your emergency contact, local address, permanent address, and phone number in the Student HUB Center.
- Personal statement describing the unforeseen hardship situation; address the letter to the USCIS;
- Describe the facts that led to the problem, explain the difficult situation that could not be avoided and how you are not at fault, and present a reasonable plan that is short-term and designed to get you out of financial and academic trouble.
- Include a statement about how this employment will not impact maintaining a full course load in the future. If you have experience managing course work and on-campus employment, mention that.
- Elaborate on why other on-campus jobs are not available
- If choosing a start date earlier than the published processing times, indicate that you accept a change in authorization dates due to adjudication.
- Evidence/documentation of your economic hardship. Examples of such evidence include:
- Copies of past and present currency exchange charts showing the devaluation of your country’s currency
- Proof (signed letters, affidavits, bank statements) of unexpected changes in the financial situation of your sponsor
- Copies of medical bills or other substantial and unexpected expenses
- A letter from your department verifying that your assistantship has been unexpectedly terminated
- Documentation of your current expenses. For example:
- Proof of tuition bill payment
- Apartment lease or cost of living on campus
- Utility bills
- Any other significant expenses (books, medical expenses, etc.)
- Completed Form I-765
- Completed Form G-1145 (E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance)
- Requested employment start and end date. This information can be sent via email to the ISS Advisor, assisting you with your Economic Hardship application.
What do I send to the USCIS?
ISS recommends that you submit the following documents to the USCIS:
- Original Form I‑765. (Do not forget to sign and include all seven pages)
- Form G-1145
- Application fee of $410.
- This should be a check (from a U.S. bank) or a U.S. money order payable to the “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”
- Write the 11-digit number from your I-94 on your check or money order.
- Do not forget to sign and date the check.
- If you intend to file for a Fee Waiver (Form I-912), we recommend that you carefully review the eligibility requirements found on the USCIS website. If you request a fee waiver and are denied, you will be required to submit a new application with the appropriate fee. This will add significant processing time to your application.
- Photocopy of pages 1 and 2 of your new Economic Hardship endorsement I‑20 (Do not forget to sign and date the Student Attestation section of your I-20. If you forget, USCIS will return your OPT application to you.)
- Photocopies of all previous I‑20’s. Do not send originals!
- Your cover letter explaining your situation (as described above).
- Letter of support from ISS. Your ISS advisor will provide this letter after you submit a complete application to ISS.
- Documentation of the unforeseen change in your financial circumstances.
- Two (2) identical natural color photographs of yourself, taken within 30 days of your application and not previously used for another purpose.
- Please review the specifications for the photos.
- If your photos do not meet USCIS requirements exactly, your EAD card will not be issued.
- In pencil, write your name and I-94 number lightly on the back of each photo.
- Photos can be taken at most drug stores (Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid).
- Photocopy of your current, valid passport (biographic and photo pages) and U.S. visa stamp in your passport. If your passport has expired, please email us for further advice. (Canadian citizens do not have visa stamps.)
- Photocopy of the front and back of your newest I-94 Card OR print-out of electronic I-94 (available on CBP’s website).
Where do I send my Economic Hardship application?
The address to use depends on the mailing address listed on your I-765. Please contact us for details. You should use a reliable express delivery service (e.g., UPS, FedEx) to mail your application. Utilizing an express delivery service will enable you to track your application and its delivery. Please save your receipt.
How long will processing at the USCIS take?
Processing time at the USCIS is estimated to be 90-120 days. However, processing times vary widely, depending on the time of year and workload at the Service Center to which you send your application. You cannot begin employment until you have received your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the USCIS and the “start date” printed on the EAD card is effective.
Important Reminders
- Economic Hardship Employment Authorization is limited to 20 hours per week when school is in session and 40 hours per week during school breaks.
- Economic Hardship employment authorization is usually issued for one year. You may submit a request to the USCIS to renew work authorization by following the same procedures outlined in this handout. The earliest you may request a renewal is 120 days before your current EAD expires. Please remember to send a copy of your current EAD along with the other documents listed above to the USCIS.
- Employment authorization is automatically terminated when you graduate, transfer to another university or violate your F-1 status in any way (e.g. not registering as a full-time student).
