H-4s Soon to Feel the Pride of a Job Well Done

Before the recent change in law that will allow certain H-4s to qualify for employment authorization documents (EADs), this population – many of whom are highly educated women from South Asia – was totally dependent. Being relegated to the H-4 dependent category not only made a spouse, usually a woman, dependent for her immigration status; it also made her totally dependent financially. While most American families with two adults are able to benefit from two incomes, families of H1B workers typically have had to subsist on only the income of the H1B worker.

Often interviewed by the media on important immigration topics, Sheela Murthy extols the merits of the advent of the H-4 EAD in Dependent No More: Spouses of High Tech Workers get Green Light to Work, a recent article by Vandana Mathur, in The Indian Diaspora, an online publication. Murthy says it is a win for foreign nationals and for the U.S. economy, increasing the tax base and providing these families with more discretionary income to put back into the economy.

For many of us, our work defines us and gives meaning to our lives. Some of us believe we are answering a higher calling through our chosen vocations. Work is something most adults expect to do, because it is a part of the accepted definition of being an adult. H-4 spouses have been denied this badge of honor – this symbol of worth – until now. We at the Murthy Law Firm rejoice in this victory for eligible H1B families. We congratulate you, and wish you all futures that are happy and financially strong.

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