Now Reading: US may scrap 60-day job hunt window for H-1B workers
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US may scrap 60-day job hunt window for H-1B workers
The United States is considering ending the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders who lose their jobs, which would force them and their dependants to leave the country almost immediately. The…
The Story in Brief
The United States is considering ending the 60-day grace period for H-1B visa holders who lose their jobs, which would force them and their dependants to leave the country almost immediately. The proposal, under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget, is not yet a final rule and details remain unavailable. If cleared, it would apply to visa categories including H-1B, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, O-1 and TN. Indian nationals are the biggest beneficiaries of the H-1B programme, receiving 71% of approved petitions in fiscal 2024, reports US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Over 5.2 million people of Indian origin live in the US. The public would get 30 to 60 days to comment before any final rule takes effect.
The Indian Opinion
The noise around this proposal misses the point. It is still under White House review, not law. Yet many in India’s tech workforce are already panicking. The H-1B programme has long been a political football in US elections, but the 60-day grace period was only added in 2017. If scrapped, the real test will be how many Indian professionals actually get deported versus how many find new sponsors within days. Watch the Federal Register publication date, not the headlines.
Sources (2): ndtv.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
