The proposed rule from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would remove the 60 day grace period that foreign workers currently get after losing a job.
For H 1B visa holders and others on similar visas, this change means they would no longer have time to look for a new employer while staying in the US.
Workers would be left with no option but to leave immediately with their return remaining uncertain. They would have to simple hope and wait till a new sponsor files paperwork through a US consulate abroad to be able to go back to the US.
This creates serious disruption for employees who may have homes, families, and financial commitments in the country. It also adds stress for companies, which must cover return travel costs when terminating foreign staff. The grace period was originally introduced to make job transitions smoother and help businesses retain talent. Without it, workers face sudden loss of status, employers lose flexibility, and the burden shifts to the already strained State Department visa system.
As per DHS estimates, tens of thousands of workers each year rely on this window to change jobs or extend status. Removing it would make layoffs more damaging, reduce workforce stability, and weaken US competitiveness by making it harder for skilled professionals to stay. For workers, the impact is immediate: less security, more uncertainty, and higher risk of forced departure.