Amid mass layoffs in the technology sector, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has stated that it is incorrect to assume that fired H-1B visa holders must leave the country within 60 days and that they have multiple options to stay.
In a letter to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies, USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou said, “When non-immigrant workers are laid off, they may not be aware of their alternatives and may, in some instances, incorrectly conclude that they have no option but to depart the country within 60 days.” The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), which advocates for H-1B visa holders who have been laid off, recently wrote to USCIS to discuss the effects of recent layoffs in the IT sector and to request an extension of the upto 60 days grace period.