Is Employment Authorization Document (EAD) The Same As Work Visa?

Did you ever know that EAD is different from work visa? When it comes to working in America the above documents are required beside ones profession, qualification or ability towards specific job. Many foreigners in spite they have what it takes to be employed in America, they say it’s hard to get the chance to work there these words come from their lips because they don’t know of the EAD and the work visa or maybe they have an idea with the exclusive of the difference between the two. After reading this text, you are going to see the possibilities of working in America if you had intended to.

In this article EAD which at times is called a work permit is a generic term applied where a person has been given legal authorization to accept employment, while on the other hand a work visa is a provision by authorities that gives you permission to enter the U.S for the purpose of work.

The only similarity between the two is both are given by the government authorities to non citizens (Aliens) of America for the purpose of work.

In spite of the similarities there are number of differences between a work permit and work visa, unlike a work visa, the EAD is applied for when a foreign national is US, whereas a foreign national seeking to work in the US must obtain a work visa to enter the US.

There are also differences in the requirements in attaining the two as written the case scenario.

Though a work visa and work permit may appear to be leading to the same goal of employment in US, they differ on many measures. As much as you may wish to work while you are in the US you must meet one of the specific categories of individuals that are allowed to work during their authorized stay in the US. In some of these categories your US work visa will give you the authorization to work for a specific employer. In other cases you will have to obtain a US work permit, such as an Employment Authorization Document, from the USCIS (link). Not everyone is eligible to apply for an EAD so you must carefully check the requirements before filing. With the high filing fee, failure to determine eligibility can be a costly mistake.