USCIS allows Ukrainians who enter on humanitarian parole to file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Document (EAD), online as soon as they are granted entry. By filing online, humanitarian parolees will benefit from priority processing and should receive an Employment Authorization Document more quickly.
While USCIS does not provide an estimated processing time, Ukrainians who file online may receive an EAD within 1-2 months. Ukrainians who apply by mail may receive an EAD within 1-3 months. It is recommended that Ukrainians who are eligible to apply online should file an I-765 online.
As of November 21, 2022, Ukrainians who entered the United States on humanitarian parole do not need to wait for USCIS to process their I-765 application before being eligible to work for the first 90 days of hire by an employer. But they will need a formal Employment Authorization Document to continue to work after the first 90 days of hire.
It is important to understand that a formal Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is not necessarily granted to all applicants. Each application is reviewed individually based on the reason for application, the length of time the applicant has been approved to stay in the U.S., and other factors.