The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied 35,767 work permit applications from foreign nationals seeking permanent residency between April and June 2026, pushing the denial rate to approximately 44%. This marks a sharp rise from the 25% denial rate recorded across the first two quarters of the fiscal year, covering October 2025 to March 2026.
Work Permit Application Data for Q3 2026
During the third quarter of the US government's 2026 fiscal year, which runs from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026, USCIS received 153,039 applications under Form I-765 for employment authorisation through the adjustment of status category. The agency approved 46,405 applications and denied 35,767.
Form I-765 allows eligible foreign nationals to obtain an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which permits them to work legally in the US while meeting applicable immigration requirements. The increase in denials highlights the challenges facing foreign nationals seeking permission to work while awaiting decisions on their Green Card applications.
Other Immigration Categories See Significant Denials
Pending Form I-765 applications under the adjustment of status category reached 671,362, with a median processing time of 6.4 months. Other immigration categories also recorded significant denials during the period.
Form I-129, which covers petitions for temporary foreign workers, including H-1B visa applicants, recorded 39,560 denials against 143,748 approvals, representing a denial rate of approximately 22%. Family-based immigration petitions filed through Form I-130 recorded 16,661 denials, accounting for about 17% of decisions.
Employment-based immigrant worker petitions submitted through Form I-140 recorded 7,069 denials and 37,975 approvals, putting the denial rate at approximately 16%. Employment-based Green Card applications filed through Form I-485 fared better, maintaining a relatively stable denial rate of 7%.
US Citizenship Applications Also See Higher Denial Rates
The data showed that naturalisation applications also faced tougher outcomes during the quarter. USCIS received 140,179 citizenship applications through Form N-400, approving 54,974 and denying 12,591. The denial rate climbed to approximately 19%, compared with 13% across the preceding two fiscal quarters.
Pending naturalisation applications reached 727,371, while the median processing time stood at 9.5 months. These developments come amid broader changes to US immigration policies affecting foreign workers, international students and permanent residency applicants.
US Moves to Raise Immigration-Related Costs
In August 2026, Nairametrics reported that the US government had introduced stricter financial assessments for some Green Card applicants. The criteria include income, assets, health and potential reliance on public benefits when determining eligibility.
The administration is also pursuing measures that could increase the cost of navigating the immigration system. Effective October 16, 2026, USCIS is scheduled to raise fees for asylum applications, employment authorisation and Temporary Protected Status as part of annual inflation adjustments.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee for universities recommending international students for Optional Practical Training (OPT), alongside a $30,000 charge for programme extensions. The proposed fees could add to the financial burden on universities and international students seeking opportunities to study and gain work experience in the US.
