USCIS Extends TPS Employment Authorization for Ethiopia and South Sudan Through August 6

Editorial Team
1 day ago
3 min read

Updated: 7 hours ago

Washington D.C., July 31, 2026 — USCIS has extended the validity of EADs under TPS for Ethiopia and South Sudan until August 6, 2026.

The previous extension of EAD validity for both countries remained valid through July 30, 2026 . The continued brief extensions come in the wake of the June 25, 2026 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump Administration to proceed with its plan to terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria .

Published: July 31, 2026 | By VisasUpdate.com Editorial Team

USCIS extends Ethiopia and South Sudan TPS employment authorization through August 6 2026 – infographic showing EAD extension details, affected expiration dates, and the legal backdrop of the Supreme Court's June 2026 TPS ruling. — USCIS extends Ethiopia and South Sudan TPS employment authorization through August 6, 2026, following the Supreme Court's June 2026 ruling on TPS terminations

Which EADs Are Covered by This Extension?

TPS EADs that benefit from today's automatic extension through August 6, 2026 include:

Country	Original EAD Expiration Dates
Ethiopia	June 12, 2024 or December 12, 2025
South Sudan	November 3, 2023, May 3, 2025, or November 3, 2025

Key Takeaway: The August 6 extension is a placeholder date driven by ongoing litigation. It does not guarantee that TPS or related work permits will continue beyond that date.

The Legal Backdrop: Supreme Court Ruling Shapes TPS Landscape

The continued brief extensions follow the June 25, 2026 U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump Administration to terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria . That decision is now affecting the outcome of all ongoing TPS litigation, including cases for:

Country	Litigation
Ethiopia	African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., No. 26-cv-10278-BEM (D. Mass.)
South Sudan	African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., No. 25-cv-13939-PBS (D. Mass.)

Court Orders Driving the Extension

USCIS is also compelled, for the time being, to comply with a July 21 district court order related to TPS EAD auto‑extensions for certain beneficiaries who filed EAD renewal applications before October 30, 2025 .

Timeline of Ethiopia & South Sudan TPS Extensions

Date	Event
November 2025	DHS announced the end of South Sudan TPS, effective January 5, 2026
December 2025	DHS announced termination of Ethiopia TPS effective February 13, 2026
December 30, 2025	Massachusetts district court stays South Sudan TPS termination
January 30, 2026	Massachusetts district court stays Ethiopia TPS termination
June 25, 2026	Supreme Court allows TPS termination for Haiti and Syria to proceed
July 30, 2026	Previous EAD extension expires
August 6, 2026	New EAD extension deadline

What This Means for Employers

Form I-9 Compliance

Employers should be aware that:

TPS‑related EADs for Ethiopia and South Sudan are now valid through August 6, 2026
Employers must reverify employees' employment authorization when the automatic extension ends
USCIS continues to verify TPS‑related employment authorization

E-Verify Guidance

When completing a case in E-Verify, employers should enter the appropriate expiration date from the employee's Form I-9.

Important: You cannot claim the full 540‑day extension, even if it is listed on your Form I‑797C notice.

Quick Reference: Ethiopia & South Sudan TPS Status

Aspect	Details
Current Status	TPS designation remains active under court orders
EAD Extension	Through August 6, 2026
Ethiopia EAD Dates	June 12, 2024 • December 12, 2025
South Sudan EAD Dates	November 3, 2023 • May 3, 2025 • November 3, 2025
Governing Litigation	African Communities Together et al. v. Noem
Court	U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Next Steps	Await further court rulings or USCIS guidance

Country	Current EAD Extension	Status
Ethiopia	August 6, 2026	Extended
South Sudan	August 6, 2026	Extended
Burma (Myanmar)	August 3, 2026	Extended
Somalia	August 3, 2026	Extended
Syria	July 27, 2026	Extended
Haiti	July 24, 2026	Extended