Advance Copy: Employment Authorization for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship as a Direct Result of Emergent Circumstances in Hong Kong

This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 11/26/2021

"This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students who are Hong Kong residents (regardless of country of birth) and who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the emergent circumstances in Hong Kong. The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to Hong Kong residents1 who are lawful F-1 nonimmigrant students so the students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F-1 nonimmigrant student status. DHS will deem an F-1 nonimmigrant student who receives employment authorization by means of this notice to be engaged in a “full course of study” for the duration of the employment authorization, if the nonimmigrant student satisfies the minimum course load requirement described in this notice. DATES: This F-1 notice is effective on [DATE OF PUBLICATION IN FEDERAL REGISTER] through February 5, 2023.

1 For purposes of this Notice, a Hong Kong resident is defined as an individual of any nationality, or without nationality, who has met the requirements for, and been granted, a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passport, a British National Overseas Passport, a British Overseas Citizen Passport, a Hong Kong Permanent Identity card, or a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Document of Identity for Visa Purposes."