Extend Grace Period of H-1B Visa, Indian Workers in US

An online petition started by two Indian-American organisations urges US President Joe Biden to increase the H-1B visa holders' grace period from two months to one year. This occurred in the wake of widespread layoffs in the American tech sector that left many Indian experts jobless. A non-immigrant visa called the H-1B permits US companies to employ foreign nationals for specialised jobs that need for theoretical or technical expertise.

This implies that after being sacked from a company, a foreign tech worker on an H-1B visa would have one year instead of the current 60 days to find a new employment before having to leave the country.

"The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies and Global Technology Professionals Association (GITPRO) have submitted an appeal to the President of the United States, the Secretary of DHS (Department of Homeland Security), and the director of USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) to extend the current grace period from 60 days to one year," the letter reads.

"We support the petition and request that the humanitarian impact on the families be sympathetically considered. We are certain that this extension will stop the brain drain and maintain the US as a global innovator and leader in technology. The online petition, which has received more than 2,200 signatures so far, also urged political authorities to support the extension and, if necessary, file a bill in the House of Representatives.

The petition stated that it would be hard for laid-off H-1B holders to find employment until the economy rebounds, and that they now have around 60 days to find another job, file for the H-1B transfer, or leave the country. A petition requesting the Indian government to recruit the fired Indian tech employees in the US has also been started on Facebook by a group of overseas Indians.

According to LayoffTracker.com, more than 90,000 employees in the tech industry were laid off since the beginning of 2023. It stated that this figure may increase in the upcoming months.