For thousands of Indian techies in the US, a layoff is more than just losing a pay cheque—it can mean losing the right to stay in the country. Under H1B visa rules, foreign workers who lose their jobs have only 60 days to find another employer willing to sponsor them. If they fail, they must leave the US.
Recent job cuts at Meta, Amazon, and other tech giants have triggered panic among Indian professionals, many of whom have built lives in America over years of waiting for green cards. Homes, children’s schooling, and long term plans are suddenly at risk. The Economic Times reports that many laid off workers are scrambling to switch to temporary B 2 visitor visas to buy more time. However, immigration attorneys warn that approvals are becoming harder, with authorities demanding extra paperwork and issuing more denials.
It is reported that there has been an unprecedented surge in rejections and requests for additional evidence. Many experts confirm that the environment has grown tougher, leaving many workers feeling abandoned after years of contributing to the US tech industry.
The numbers are daunting. More than 1,10,000 tech jobs have been cut in 2026 so far, and thousands of those affected are believed to be H1B holders—Indians being the largest group. Many are now weighing alternatives: student visas, extraordinary ability visas, company transfers, or even moving to Canada and Europe.
For Indian H 1B workers, the layoffs are not just about corporate restructuring. They are about survival, identity, and the struggle to hold on to a life built over decades in a country that is suddenly shrouded in uncertainty.