US denies 35,767 Green Card applicants’ work permits as rejection rate rises to 44 per cent

As per reports from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the US has rejected more than 35,000 work permit applications from foreign nationals seeking Green Cards, with the denial rate rising to around 44 per cent in the April-June quarter of the 2026 financial year.

USCIS denied 35,767 applications for employment authorisation filed by people seeking permanent residency during the period. The rejection rate was significantly higher than the approximately 25 per cent recorded in the previous two quarters, from October 2025 to March 2026. The figures cover the third quarter of the US government's 2026 financial year, which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

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For Indians seeking to settle and work in the US, the figures highlight the challenges of obtaining permission to work while their Green Card applications are being processed.

Work permit applications and waiting times

USCIS received 153,039 applications under Form I-765 for employment authorisation through the adjustment of status route during the quarter. It approved 46,405 applications and rejected 35,767.

Form I-765 is used by eligible foreign nationals to apply for an Employment Authorisation Document (EAD). The document allows them to work legally in the US while meeting the applicable immigration requirements.

The number of pending applications under this category reached 671,362, with an average processing time of 6.4 months. The increase in denials comes as other immigration categories also recorded rejections during the quarter.

Rejections across other US immigration categories

USCIS denied 39,560 petitions filed under Form I-129, which is used for temporary foreign workers, including those seeking H-1B visas. The agency approved 143,748 applications, putting the denial rate at around 22 per cent. Family-based immigration petitions filed under Form I-130 recorded 16,661 denials, accounting for approximately 17 per cent of decisions.

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For employment-based immigrant worker petitions filed under Form I-140, USCIS rejected 7,069 applications and approved 37,975. The denial rate stood at around 16 per cent. Employment-based Green Card applications filed under Form I-485 recorded a lower denial rate of approximately 7 per cent.

Naturalisation applications also saw a rise in rejections during the quarter. USCIS processed 140,179 applications filed under Form N-400, approving 54,974 and denying 12,591. The denial rate increased to around 19 per cent, compared with 13 per cent in the previous two quarters.

The number of pending citizenship applications reached 727,371, with an average processing time of 9.5 months.

Higher immigration costs add to concerns

The US is also moving to increase some immigration-related fees. From October 16, 2026, USCIS plans to raise fees for asylum applications, work permits and Temporary Protected Status in line with annual inflation adjustments.

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security has proposed a $70,000 fee for universities recommending international students for Optional Practical Training (OPT), along with an additional $30,000 charge for programme extensions. If implemented, the proposed charges could increase costs for universities and international students seeking work experience in the US after completing their studies.