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Laid-off H-1B worker faces visa uncertainty as 100 job applications yield just one interview: ‘Life cannot be worse’
A Reddit user laid off in the US said their former employer declined to keep them on payroll, raising concerns about their H-1B status.
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Amid ongoing layoffs and visa crisis in the US, a Reddit user who experienced employment termination in the US last week shared their distressing circumstances on social media.
H-1B worker fears losing visa status after sudden layoff
In a Reddit post titled ‘laid off on H1B’, the user said, “Life cannot be worse,” explaining that they requested to remain on the company's payroll to preserve their H-1B status while searching for a new position. However, the company declined due to legal concerns, which could potentially put the Redditor's immigration standing at risk. They, however, provided a severance package.
The worker might be eligible for a grace period lasting up to 60 consecutive days, or until their authorized validity period expires, depending on which occurs sooner.
Giving the harsh reality about life after layoff, the user said, “Every single day since then was like hell. I have been in the US for 8 years and all of a sudden I lost everything I have.”
The user received no advance notification regarding the layoff. Currently, despite submitting 100 job applications and leveraging personal referrals, employment prospects remain limited, with only a single interview opportunity materialized to date.
“I tried to apply for jobs like no tomorrows and had 100 applications and 1 interview so far after a week. I had friends to give me referrals everywhere but most didn't help,” the Reddit post read.
“How to survive this job market? I am desperate now.”
Redditors react
Meanwhile, the comment section of Redditor got filled with several ‘cruel’ comments, with many assuming that the user is an Indian.
“Come back home. No point living life on the edge like this with no mental peace. Luckily you have a home to return to, think about the Afghans, Ukrainians or Iranians. Count your blessings,” one person commented.
“You can apply for 1 year extensions indefinitely. Sounds like he had a good run of it. Best thing to do would be to go home now and start the timer on being outside the US for 1 year,” another said.
Trump's H-1B visa crackdown
As the Trump administration strengthens its immigration rules—introducing a hefty $100,000 charge for select H-1B applications and rolling out a wage-based selection approach for fiscal year 2027—major tech firms like Cognizant, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have seen their H-1B registrations take a significant hit in the FY2027 lottery.
Based on findings from a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report released on October 14, Cognizant saw registrations drop by 100% compared to the year before, Infosys experienced a 91% decline, and TCS faced a steep 95% decrease.
