Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is granting temporary employment authorization for Libyan citizens who hold F-1 Student Visas. An estimated 2,000 Libyan students in the United States may have been affected.
ICE's decision is intended to provide economic relief for Libyan students who were legally in the U.S. under the F-1 visa, as of Feb. 1, 2011. To qualify, students must provide evidence of enrolment in a ICE certified Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
The minimum course load requirement under the relief program is as follows, according to ICE's Web site:
Undergraduate F-1 students who are granted on-campus or off-campus employment authorisation under this notice must remain registered for a minimum of six semester/quarter hours of instruction per academic term. Graduate F-1 students who are granted on-campus or off-campus employment authorisation under this notice must remain registered for a minimum of three semester/quarter hours of instruction per academic term.
The relief is valid until Dec. 31, 2011. SEVP provides detailed information about this program.