Yekloyatri - Where are you located at man?! I don't really know why Nepalese living in "bigger" cities don't apply for work permit. I have lots of friends in Minnesota,Texas, NY and Boston and to my utter surprise nobody even knows what a EAD is, let alone applying for it. Perhaps your assumptions are based upon the same facts. I'm not an expert myself however based upon my own personal experiences ( I reapplied for the renewal of it after the expiration of my EAD card that was valid for a year ), lots of students from my college file for EAD and most of them have been approved for it. EAD card is issued if we manage to prove that our sponsors ( mainly parents ) are no longer capable of funding our college fees. Getting an EAD isn't as easy as slicing a cake but still it isn't as difficult as finding a H-1 sponsor as well. Here are the few things that you need : 1. A reason that makes your request sound as if you're in a financial crisis and your parents can no longer afford to pay for your tuition ( reasons could be, unexpetedly large medical bills , loss of financial aid due to no fault of the student's parents , large increase in tuition and living costs , need for money for abroad studies , substantial decrease in the relative value of currency in your country - one of the best at the moment and last but not the least internships ). 2. You need to complete an I-765 form 3. 2 photos taken within the last 30 days. 4. Personal statement ( reason for seeking emloyment ) 5. I-20 ( revised I-20 ) 6. Visa, Passport and I-94 card's photo copies. 7. Personal check / Money order " To : Department of Homeland Security " worth $340 ( they raised it from $180 ) Like I just said, you need to prove that you and your parents can no longer afford to pay for your college expenses. Yekloyatri, while I completely understand your "ignorance" about the reason why people don't apply for EAD cards, I'd like to remind you that U.S. is a very big country and there are tons of people walking different walks of lives in various states/cities in the U.S. Hence the reason why many people don't apply for EAD cards lies in our own ignorance. Most of the Nepalese don't have a freaking clue about what an EAD card is, so how would they file for EAD. Last but not the least, if many Nepalese did apply for EAD cards and got approved, I hope that it will also bring a change within the Nepalese living in the states meaning we won't be working in a Desi's Gas station but look for some other cool places where we'd deservedly get hired. Surely making 8 dollars in Cash at a Desi's gas station comes nowhere close to making 10 dollars an hour at Ace Hardware! That's my personal opinion. I don't really think that I need to highlight the significances of EAD card. With an EAD card, you can work anywhere except at the places that require U.S citizenships/Green cards ( such as the Army, federal offices ). Imagine working in a bank part time in stead of working part time at a gas station or flipping burgers at a restaurant! Amused? Don't be! So what're you all waiting for! File for EAD card!!! Goodluck to "you" all nonetheless. Whether you work legally or illegally, hami nepali ko falos ani fulos!