PHILADELPHIA — The federal government has issued a six-paragraph notice that portends a potentially huge improvement for Ukrainians fleeing to this country — cutting their wait for work permits by months.
Instead of the current eight- to 10-month delay, which has left newcomers struggling to pay for food and housing, and strained their relationships with relatives who never imagined hosting long-term dependents, the wait could drop to as short as three months, according to people familiar with the change, announced on Thursday.
The national non-profit Welcome.US, created to welcome Afghans amid the war-end evacuation last August and recently expanded to include Ukrainians, told members and partners in an email that work applications could be approved in as little as six weeks.
