DHS Announces Special Student Relief for Venezuelans
On September 7, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a notice in the Federal Register providing Special Student Relief (SSR) employment benefits for F-1 student from Venezuela who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.
SSR is the suspension of certain regulatory requirements by DHS for F-1 students from parts of the world that are experiencing emergent circumstances. Regulatory requirements that may be suspended or altered for an F-1 student include duration of status, full course of study and off-campus employment eligibility.
The notice extends relief from September 10, 2022, to March 10, 2024 for eligible Venezuelan students who were in lawful F-1 status on April 22, 2021, and are currently maintaining F-1 status.