Chicago launched a pilot program in partnership with city, state, and federal governments to help qualifying immigrant asylum-seekers apply for work permits. The program is being led by The Resurrection Project (TRP), a local organization, in collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agents.

A series of workshops is being held to complete legal screenings and review eligibility with attorneys before submitting applications. Volunteers are available to assist with the application process. The program aims to accommodate 300 people per day by Thanksgiving. Until then, an estimated 150 migrants are expected to participate daily. TRP estimates that 11,000 migrants in Chicago are eligible for work permits.

To qualify for the program, individuals must have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and have arrived in the U.S. before July 31, 2023, or have come to the U.S. using the CBP One App through the Parole program. Individuals with TPS status who arrived after July 31, 2023, individuals who came to the U.S. border for processing without using the CBP One App, and all undocumented individuals do not qualify for the program.

The time it takes to get a work permit depends on the status granted to a migrant in the U.S. However, it is estimated that approved migrants may be able to begin working after two months. The work authorizations will be valid for up to five years. A similar program is active in New York, and one is currently being developed in Boston.

If you have questions about employment authorization or any other immigration-related issue, please contact us. We actively monitor ongoing updates to U.S. immigration processes to support our clients, every step of the way.