With US companies announcing layoffs and H-1B workers struggling to find new jobs within 60 days, immigration lawyers said they are finding it difficult to understand that H-1B workers have no alternative plans regarding their jobs despite the market situation that could happen anytime and that H-1B is only a temporary visa, it is not a green card and is not US citizenship. Indian-origin immigration lawyer Rahul Reddy said people often think they are irreplaceable in their jobs because they are doing so well but even Steve Jobs was fired from the same company he founded and so there is no room for complacency.Reddy said there should be three plans:Plan A: It should be about the job you have. Work hard, attend events, network with people and find out what your market value is. Do not take long leave from work as there have been many instances where people on H-1B visas found out during their leave that they have been fired from the job.Plan B: This is a plan for the situation in which you are fired from your job. Plan in advance whether you will switch to the F visa, which is for students, or the H4 visa, which is for spouses of H-1B visa holders. While switching to the B1 visa meant for tourists is no longer an option as USCIS does not allow this change in most of the situations, Reddy said that if one has the option to switch to the H4 visa, it is best.Plan C: This is for the situation when the H-1B visa holder has to leave the US. Reddy says H-1B visa holders should be prepared for such a situation because they are not permanent residents.
Don’t let your I-94 expire
Immigration attorney Emily Newman added to the list of what H-1Bs should do and advised that I-94 should not be allowed to expire. Because if it expires before 60 days after you are fired from your job, you will have less time in the US and the I-94 determines how long you can stay in the US.Newman said H-1B visa holders who are at risk of being fired should conserve their emergency savings and avoid traveling outside the United States.