Now Reading: US proposes ending 60-day grace period for H-1B workers
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US proposes ending 60-day grace period for H-1B workers
The US Department of Homeland Security has sent a proposal to the White House that would remove the 60-day grace period for H-1B and other temporary workers after job loss. Currently, workers…
The Story in Brief
The US Department of Homeland Security has sent a proposal to the White House that would remove the 60-day grace period for H-1B and other temporary workers after job loss. Currently, workers can stay, look for a new sponsor, or change status within 60 days. Under the proposed rule, losing a job would mean immediate departure unless USCIS forgives the status lapse. The proposal, first reported by Bloomberg, is under review at the Office of Management and Budget. Once published, the public will have 30 to 60 days to comment before any final decision. The rule would cover H-1B, L-1, O-1, and several other visa categories.
The Indian Opinion
Indian tech workers in the US are right to be alarmed, but this is still a proposal, not law. The public comment window, 30 to 60 days, gives industry bodies and companies a chance to push back. The 60-day grace period has existed since 2017 and was seen as a reasonable buffer. Scrapping it without a substitute would penalise workers for layoffs they did not cause. Watch how many comments the rule attracts, and whether USCIS commits to using its discretion generously. That will tell us if this is real or a bargaining chip.
Sources (2): timesnownews.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
