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Following a nearly two-week disruption caused by the government shutdown, food assistance benefits have started flowing again to millions of Americans—along with the enforcement of eligibility rules recently passed by Congress.

Tighter eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) stem from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Congress approved earlier in July. Federal spending on the program will decline by an estimated $186 billion over the next decade, <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48552/R48552.9.pdf">according</a> to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

While some states managed to provide partial benefits to recipients during the shutdown, others distributed nothing during the federal funding lapse. Now that operations have resumed, the USDA <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/obbb-qas-variance-exclusion">confirmed</a> on Friday that it will begin to enforce what was a Nov. 1 deadline for full compliance with the new eligibility restrictions.
<h2>Expanded Work Requirements</h2>
The most notable change affects able-bodied adults without dependents, who must now demonstrate they work at least 80 hours a month, attend school, or participate in job training in order to maintain their SNAP benefits, according to a USDA policy <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/obbb-abawd-exemptions-implementation">memo</a> dated Oct. 3 . Without meeting such criteria, recipients may only receive assistance for three months within a three-year period.

The age range subject to the work mandates has expanded. Previously limited to those 18 to 54, the requirement now applies to able-bodied adults through age 64, according to the Food and Nutrition Service.

Parents caring for children have also seen their exemptions narrowed. The previous exception for adults responsible for anyone under 18 now only covers those caring for children under 14.

Veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults aging out of foster care—all previously exempt from work requirements—must now meet the same standards as other recipients. These exemptions were temporarily added by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 but have been eliminated under the new law.

However, a new exemption has been created for Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and certain Indigenous peoples as defined under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, who are not subject to the monthly time limit for work or school.

The changes took effect immediately when the law was enacted on July 4, though states received a 120-day grace period to implement the new rules without facing penalties for errors. That exclusion period ended on Nov. 1.
<h2>Immigrant Eligibility Restricted</h2>
The law also narrows food assistance eligibility to immigrants from certain nations, cutting off assistance to some individuals who are in the country legally.

Only U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, Cuban, and Haitian entrants, and citizens from nations in the Compact of Free Association may now receive benefits. The compact is a financial assistance agreement between the U.S. and Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.

Lawful permanent residents—commonly known as green card holders—must wait five years before qualifying for SNAP, provided they meet other eligibility requirements. Some can qualify sooner if they are under 18 or have connections to the U.S. military.

Refugees, asylum recipients, and human trafficking survivors will all lose benefits under the new criteria unless they are from the above-mentioned nations, according to Oregon's Department of Human Services, which noted the policy changes in a <a href="https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/ODHS/Posts/Post/odhs-announces-federal-changes-to-snap-so-thousands-of-oregonians-impacted-can-prepare">memo</a>. It said the federal change will affect an estimated 3,000 people in Oregon.
<h2>States Face Financial Penalties</h2>
Another provision of the federal law requires states to manage the SNAP program with greater accuracy or face financial consequences.

Though SNAP receives federal funding, individual states administer the program. Beginning in fiscal year 2028, states with error rates exceeding 6 percent will begin losing federal funding. Starting Nov. 1, when the implementation grace period ended, every mistake will count toward that threshold.

Most states have much ground to cover before meeting the 6 percent target. According to <a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-fy24QC-PER.pdf">2024 data</a>, only eight states would qualify for full funding. Nationwide, the average error rate stood near 11 percent last year.

The Congressional Budget Office <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-08/61367-SNAP.pdf">projects</a> that, due to this cost shift—with states potentially having to partially fund SNAP benefits if their error rates exceed 6 percent—in an average month over the 2028-2034 period, states will collectively reduce or eliminate SNAP benefits for approximately 300,000 people.

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These Changes Now in Effect as SNAP Benefits Resume

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