Alaska office urges TPS holders to verify work permit expiration dates

Work permit cards need a second look

Alaskans with Temporary Protected Status should check the expiration date printed on their work permit cards, the state Office of Citizenship Assistance said in its July newsletter. Federal changes have shortened or eliminated the automatic extensions many workers have relied on.

"Look at the expiration date on your work permit card. Do not assume it was extended," the office said.

The office also tells Temporary Protected Status holders, known as TPS holders, to check the US Citizenship and Immigration Services page for their own country, because each country has its own dates. It advises them to check again often, because the rules have changed more than once this year, and to talk to an immigration attorney if their status or work permit is ending soon.

What changed

Several federal actions drive the change. Federal Register notices unique to specific countries affect the length and availability of extensions. A Department of Homeland Security interim final rule took effect Oct. 30, 2025. US Citizenship and Immigration Services implemented the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 22, 2025.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association said in a March 13 practice alert that the automatic extension is now capped at one year or the length of the TPS designation, whichever is shorter. That cap applies to qualifying renewals pending on or filed after July 22, 2025, but before Oct. 30, 2025, by someone maintaining TPS status. A 2022 temporary final rule had allowed up to 540 days.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services has revised Sections 5.0 through 5.3 of the M-274 Handbook for Employers. That is the federal guide employers use to verify work eligibility on Form I-9. Employer-side attorneys at Ogletree Deakins wrote that the shortened extensions will create work authorization gaps and added reverification obligations. The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, which publishes guidance for TPS holders, has warned that the new limits could leave some workers without valid proof of work authorization. The group said that may lead to job loss when employers and verification systems do not recognize the shortened extensions.

Legal help available

The US Supreme Court decided a TPS case, Mullin v. Doe, on June 25. The Alaska Bar Association holds a free legal clinic by phone and Zoom on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Interpreters will be provided.