Written & reviewed by NotALawyer Review AI · Updated June 26, 2026
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, is a federal program that lets nationals of certain countries stay and work in the United States temporarily when conditions back home — like armed conflict or a natural disaster — make returning unsafe. It's exactly what the name says: temporary. TPS protects you from deportation and can come with a work permit, but it is not a green card and does not by itself create a path to permanent residence.
The Department of Homeland Security decides which countries get a TPS designation and for how long, based on conditions there. Only nationals of a currently designated country (and certain people without nationality who last lived there) can register. If your country isn't designated, TPS isn't available to you.
Approved TPS means you generally cannot be removed from the U.S. based on your immigration status during the designation period, and you can apply for a work permit. You may also be able to request permission to travel. It does not erase any separate immigration issues you might have.
TPS designations are set for a period and can be extended or terminated as conditions change. Because of that, TPS holders watch official announcements closely and re-register during each open window to keep their protection and work permit valid.
TPS itself is not permanent residence. Some TPS holders may have a separate basis to seek a green card — through family, employment, or another category — but that's a distinct process with its own rules, not an automatic upgrade from TPS.
More on this topic: the Immigration hub
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