Some workers are exploring alternatives like student visas, internal company transfer visas and migration pathways in Canada and Europe. Representational image: iStock
Indian H-1B workers face 60-day window as US tech layoffs intensify: Report
Indian H-1B workers in the US are facing growing uncertainty as tech layoffs, tighter visa scrutiny and residency concerns increase pressure
A large number of Indian professionals working in the US tech sector are reportedly finding themselves under increasing pressure as another wave of layoffs comes amid strict immigration rules. For many employees on H-1B visas, losing a job now means far more than losing a monthly paycheck. It can put residency plans, family life and long-term stability at risk.
Tight timelines after layoffs
As companies including Meta, Amazon and Oracle continue to slash workforce, many affected employees are facing a narrow 60-day window to secure a new sponsor under H-1B regulations, according to an Economic Times report. Workers unable to find a new employer within that period are generally expected to leave the country.
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The report further stated that to delay that deadline, some laid-off professionals are attempting to shift temporarily to B-2 visitor visas, which can extend their stay for several months. But immigration experts suggest that route is becoming increasingly difficult.
Rising scrutiny on visa applications
According to legal experts, applications involving laid-off H-1B workers are facing closer scrutiny, with requests for additional documentation and rejection notices increasing in recent months.
“We are seeing a significant spike in RFEs and Notices of Intent to Deny on B-1/B-2 change-of-status applications filed by laid-off H-1B workers,” said US-based immigration attorney Rajiv Khanna as quoted in the report.
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Khanna said the volume of such cases has reached levels his team had not experienced before.
The broader tech industry downturn continues to add pressure. According to data by Layoffs.fyi over 110,000 workers across 144 technology companies have lost jobs in 2026 so far, with immigration experts believing many could be H-1B employees.
Long-term uncertainty for workers
The report further stated that Indian nationals continue to represent the largest share of H-1B approvals. However, that concentration is also exposing many workers to greater vulnerability during downturns.
For many workers, the uncertainty extends beyond employment. Several have spent years in the US while waiting for green cards, with families, mortgages and long-term plans already rooted there.
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“Indian H-1B holders are taking it the hardest because their green card backlogs were already decades long; this is another door closing,” said Boundless Immigration CEO Xiao Wang.
Some workers are now exploring alternatives including student visas, internal company transfer visas and migration pathways in Canada and Europe as uncertainty around future employment grows.