Effective October 5, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has increased the validity period for initial or renewal Employment Authorization Documents for asylum applicants from one year to two years. Applicants with pending asylum claims file applications for employment authorization (Forms I-765) under category "(c)(8)." This change applies to all (c)(8)-based applications that are pending as of October 5, 2016, and all such applications filed on or after October 5, 2016.

The announcement is at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-increases-validity-work-permits-two-years-asylum-applicants.