Employment Authorization

The right to legally accept employment in the U.S. This right is in some cases conveyed along with another status (H-1B visas, L-1 visas, permanent residence) or conveyed separately (the filing of an Application to Adjust Status to Permanent Residence does not in itself convey authorization to accept employment, but it can form a basis for applying for an Employment Authorization Document or "EAD"). Employment Authorization may be unrestricted, meaning you can work for any employer (an EAD or permanent residence), or restricted meaning it is granted only for one specific employer (all nonimmigrant visas - H-1B, L-1A, etc. - which permit employment incident to status). There are some nonimmigrant visas which do not convey employment authorization incident to status but allow the holder to apply for employment authorization, most notably the F-1 student visa in certain circumstances and the J-2 and L-2 derivative visas.