On Unemployment Benefits

As COVID-19 sweeps across the country, the U.S. economy has been suffering much. Not only has this pandemic been detrimental to large-scale corporations, but it is far more destructive when it comes to small businesses. This leaves many companies with no choice but to downsize or even close down, resulting in many people losing their jobs. In the three weeks leading up to April 9th, nearly 17 million people filed for unemployment.

Lately, we have received many questions concerning the eligibility of applying for unemployment benefits and the potential impacts it has on a noncitizen’s immigration status. Many are worried that applying for such benefits will have adverse effects on their immigration status.

Congress first established the concept of public charge in 1882. The public charge rule allows the U.S. government to deny a U.S. visa to anyone who “is likely at any time to become a public charge,” while the definition of “public charge” remained ambiguous. 

The public charge rule sifts out alien applicants who are likely to become a public charge at any time. Self-sufficiency is a crucial value applicants are examined upon. Aliens who are unable to maintain self-sufficiency are ruled out to prevent their use of public benefits at any point in the future.

Luckily, unemployment benefits are not regarded to be public benefits. Therefore, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements for your state’s unemployment benefits, applying will not negatively impact your status or future immigration/visa applications.

关于失业津贴

随着COVID-19疫情愈演愈烈，美国经济也受到重创。无论是大企业还是小公司都面对着相当的压力。许多公司除了裁员甚至关闭之外别无选择。这直接导致了失业人口数量的攀升。截止至4月9日之前的三周，近1千700万人注册了失业索赔。

近日来，我们也收到了许多关于失业津贴以及其负面影响的咨询。许多客户担心申请此类津贴会给他们的身份或签证申请带来不利。

美国国会早在1882年就确立了“公共负担”这一概念。公共负担规则批准美国政府拒绝对“在任何时刻可能成为公共负担”的外国人颁发美国签证。然而“公共负担”这一概念从未被精准定义。

公共负担规则将任何可能成为“公共负担”的外籍申请者筛除在外。经济上是否自给自足是申请者被审查的重要项目。为了防止他们在未来任何时间点使用公共福利，任何可能经济上无法自给自足的外国人的申请都可能会被拒绝。

失业补助不被涵盖在公共福利的范围内。所以，只要您在您所处的州内有资格受到该补助，您就可以放心申请，不会对您的身份状态或申请造成负面影响。