Paperwork Delays Become Job Market Barriers for Foreign Spouses

Neha Pathak has been stuck at home for the past month after her work authorization expired at the end of September. Originally from India, she applied to renew her employment eligibility in May but almost seven months later is still waiting with no end in sight.

Pathak is among potentially thousands of spouses of high-skilled non-immigrant visa holders facing delays or disruptions in employment because required documentation hasn’t materialized. As a salesperson for package delivery giant DHL, she covered a territory that includes parts of Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Now Pathak can’t even drive legally while her ...