The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for Haiti for 6 months, from July 23, 2017, through January 22, 2018. Although Haiti has made significant progress in recovering from the January 2010 earthquake that prompted its designation, conditions in Haiti supporting its designation continue to be met, DHS said.
A worker who is a current beneficiary of Haiti’s designation for TPS and wants to use his or her Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD), as evidence of employment eligibility after it expires on July 22, 2017, must timely file application to renew that EAD by July 24, 2017. Timely filing automatically extends the validity of the expired EAD for 180 days, until January 18, 2018. (The Federal Register notice does not automatically extend the validity of the EAD for these beneficiaries and is not an acceptable document for Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification purposes.)
USCIS will then provide a Form I-797C, Notice of Action. If the EAD and Form I-797C both contain either category code “A-12” or “C-19,” this combination is considered a List A document for I-9 purposes. Employers will need to reverify employment authorization for these employees by January 18, 2018.
DHS encourages Haitian TPS beneficiaries during this 6-month extension “to prepare for their return to Haiti in the event Haiti’s designation is not extended again, including requesting updated travel documents from the government of Haiti.” At least 60 days before January 22, 2018, DHS Secretary John Kelly will re-evaluate the designation for Haiti and will determine whether another extension, a re-designation, or a termination is warranted.
Additional information, including where to file, is at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status/temporary-protected-status-designated-country-haiti.