DHS Announces Special Student Relief (SSR) Employment Benefits to Venezuelan and Syrian Students Experiencing Severe Economic Hardship 

On April 21, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted Federal Register notices announcing the suspension of certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students from Venezuela and Syria who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the humanitarian crises in their country of citizenship.

DHS stated that affected Venezuelan and Syrian lawful F-1 nonimmigrant students may request employment authorization (i.e. Economic Hardship for off-campus employment), work an increased number of hours while school is in session (i.e. on approved CPT, Pre-Completion OPT, and/or Economic Hardship), and reduce their course loads while continuing to maintain F-1 status (i.e. Undergraduate must maintain a minimum of 6 credit hours, Graduate must maintain a minimum of 3 credit hours).

Who qualifies?

The notice applies exclusively to F-1 nonimmigrant students who meet all of the following criteria:

• Are citizens of Venezuela or Syria,
• Were lawfully present in the U.S. in an F-1 nonimmigrant status on April 22, 2021,
• Are enrolled in an SEVP-certified school,
• Are currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status, and
• Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the humanitarian crises in Venezuela or Syria.

How long is this Special Student Relief (SSR)* applicable?

The suspension of these requirements will remain in effect until:

• September 9, 2022 for Venezuelan students.
• September 30, 2022 for Syrian students.

*Please note that SSR And Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are different. TPS may be offered to various visa classifications, when applicable, including F-1 students. However, SSR, when applicable, is only offered to eligible F-1 students.

What’s next?

For more information on your eligibility and how to pursue this benefit, please contact Mladenka Tomasevic, Executive Director of ISSS, at mt686@drexel.edu.

Sources: Study in the States, Fragomen Immigration Alerts, Klasko Client Alert