DHS Issues Correction to Notice of Special Student Relief for Ethiopia

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On December 9, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a notice announcing that F-1 nonimmigrant students from Ethiopia experiencing severe economic hardship due to the ongoing crisis in their home country were eligible for employment authorization under Special Student Relief (SSR).  SSR is the suspension of certain regulatory requirements by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for an F‑1 student 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.

SSR applies when emergent circumstances occur, or world events that affect F-1 students from a particular region and create significant financial hardships, such as but not limited to:

  • Natural disasters.

  • Wars and military conflicts.

  • National or international financial crises.

On February 1, 2023, DHS issued the following date corrections to the December 9, 2022 notice:

  • Effective as of the December 9, 2022 notice, suspension of the employment limitations is available through June 12, 2024 for this in lawful F-1 nonimmigrant status as of the date of the December 9, 2022 notice.

  • During the period that this suspension is in effect, DHS will consider an F-1 nonimmigrant student who engages in a reduced course load or employment (or both) after the notice date to be engaging in “a full course of study” under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6) and is eligible for employment authorization through the end of any academic turn for which such student is matriculated as of June 12, 2024 provided the student satisfies the minimum course load requirements in the notice.

  • If an F-1 nonimmigrant student would like to obtain a new TPS related EAD that is valid through June 12, 2024 and to be eligible for automatic EAD extensions that may be available to certain EAD categories, they must file Form I-765 and pay the required fee or request a fee waiver.