Laid-off H-1B grad counts the days on borrowed time. Here's more to his ordeals
The 2024 data science graduate told M9News that he's applied to over 300 positions since the layoff, but not a single job offer has come through.
ALSO READ| India techie's F-1 visa 'Refused' for a this very reason, Redditor weighs in
Laid-off graduate now battles immigration clock
'Every day feels like a countdown,' he said. 'I'm doing everything I can, but I'm running low on time, money, and hope.'
Notably, after completing his Master's degree from a U.S. university and gaining internship experience, he landed a dream job. But only 30 days in, he was let go. 'I never thought my first job would only last 30 days. I feel stuck in limbo. There's no closure,' he admitted.
'I'm just surviving on borrowed time,' he sighed.
Following the layoff, he used the standard 60-day grace period to try to find another job. When that window expired, and he had no offer of another one, he switched to the B2 visa, a temporary tourist visa, in an extreme measure to remain in the country legally and keep his job search. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has yet to review his application.
'Layoffs don't just end jobs—they uproot lives,' an immigration attorney told M9 News. 'And the current system provides no safety net.'
ALSO READ| One family emergency away from losing your H-1B Visa? Indian techie's hidden fear
US Visa ordeal stories like his aren't rare anymore
Over the past year, waves of H1B layoffs have pushed thousands into a similar race against time. Many have already packed up and left.
Like, one shared on Reddit, 'I was laid off in October 2024 (when my STEM OPT expired) and been jobless since.'
'I'm currently on an F1 visa doing my second Master's mainly to maintain my status (day 1 CPT). I'm 31 years old with quite a bit of my student loan left plus credit card debt that I am using to survive and continue studying after being laid off.'
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