Double trouble for Indians with H1B visa, first lose job.. now have to leave America. FIIDS demands extension of grace period for Indian h1b visa holders amid tech retrenchment

Technical cut-off 2023: Massive layoffs in the tech sector hurt people in two ways. On the one hand where people have to lose their jobs, on the other hand H-1B Tech professionals with visas must leave the United States. Time is running out for H-1B professionals facing layoffs because current law requires them to leave the country within 60 days of losing their job. Thousands of Indian tech professionals and their family members are losing sleep over such a situation.

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) took their case to lawmakers and the federal administration and said, “This has had a humanitarian impact on them, as their families, including their US-born children, have been suddenly devastated and in the preceding months Those who were fired are running out of time.”

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Demand for extension of time up to 180 days

However, US Citizenship and Immigration Services is considering requests to extend its current time window to 180 days. However, this process may take some time, leaving these professionals with no option but to leave the country.

“FIIDS has requested USCIS, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expedite the request to extend the grace period,” the foundation said in a media statement. FIIDS appeals to elected officials, technical executives and community leaders to emphasize the need and urgency of extending the grace period.”

Since last year, more than 2,50,000 professionals have been laid off in the US. FIIDS said the numbers are rising with companies like Meta announcing several thousand more layoffs.

“A significant number of these professionals are tax-paying H-1B immigrants (approximately 1,00,000), particularly from India, who are required to be employed within 60 days by someone else who files their H-1B,” the statement said. If you can’t find an employer, you have to leave America.

It is now up to the White House to adopt the recommendations. However, it may be too late for existing H-1B visa holders, who have lost their jobs since last October.

The advisory committee recommended

Earlier this week, the US President’s Advisory Committee on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders recommended to the federal government that the grace period for H1-B workers be extended from the current 60 days to 180 days, to give workers enough time to find a new job or other alternative. There are opportunities.

Application to Pramila Jaipal

FIIDS, in its statement, thanked Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer that the issue could be settled through an administrative process in his March 13 talks with Indian American leaders. It praised the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHP).

FIIDS said, “We have called on the House Subcommittee on Immigration, chaired by Congresswoman Pramila Jaipal, to make a similar recommendation to USCIS.

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