US immigrants to pay for temporary work permits

SAN DIEGO -- The Obama administration said Friday that it will begin charging US$465 this month for temporary work permits for many young illegal immigrants as it laid out details of one its signature new policies on immigration.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting applications Aug. 15 for permits, which are subject to renewal for two years. It will consider a limited number of fee exemptions but expects costs to be shouldered by applicants, not taxpayers.

Under the program, which President Barack Obama announced in June, immigrants must have arrived in the United States before their 16th birthday, be 30 or younger, lived in the U.S. at least five years and be in school, graduated or served in the military. They are ineligible if convicted of a felony, three misdemeanors or one “significant” misdemeanor.

Significant misdemeanors, as defined by Homeland Security, include driving under the influence and gun and sex offenses. AFP