The 60-Day Clock: How Fresh Tech Layoffs Are Pushing H-1B Workers to the Brink

The layoffs keep coming. In May 2026, Meta cut around 8,000 jobs. Amazon continued workforce reductions across multiple divisions. LinkedIn and other firms followed suit. The reason, according to the companies, is restructuring around artificial intelligence — redirecting spending toward AI infrastructure and products while trimming headcount elsewhere.

According to data tracked by Layoffs.fyi, more than 110,000 technology workers have lost jobs globally so far this year. For most laid-off employees, the pain is economic. For those on H-1B visas — predominantly Indian nationals — it is existential.

The 60-Day Grace Period

Under rules set by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), workers who lose jobs on H-1B visas generally receive a 60-day grace period to either find another sponsoring employer, switch visa categories, or leave the United States. That deadline creates immediate uncertainty around immigration status, housing, healthcare, and family stability.

Sixty days. That is the window between “I lost my job” and “I may have to uproot my entire life.”

Why Indian Workers Are Hit Hardest

India is the single largest beneficiary of the US H-1B visa programme. US government data for FY25 showed Indian nationals accounted for the overwhelming majority of approved H-1B petitions. That concentration has become a key vulnerability during periods of large-scale layoffs.

Many Indian professionals spend years — sometimes decades — waiting for employment-based green cards because of country-specific caps and processing backlogs. During that entire period, their legal status in the US remains tied to continued employment. A single layoff notice can unravel years of progress.

The Cascade Effect

The consequences extend well beyond the individual worker:

Children’s schooling faces disruption mid-academic year
Healthcare coverage ends with employment
Mortgage and rental obligations in expensive tech hubs like San Francisco and Seattle do not pause
Green card applications can be delayed or derailed entirely
Spouses on H-4 dependent visas lose their work authorization

Immigration lawyers report that laid-off workers are increasingly exploring temporary alternatives to remain in the country legally while searching for jobs. One commonly used route involves filing for a B-1 or B-2 visitor visa to buy more time. Others are considering moves to Canada, which has more accommodating immigration pathways for skilled tech workers.

The AI Paradox

There is a bitter irony at the center of this story. The same artificial intelligence revolution that is making some workers redundant was partly built by H-1B visa holders. Indian engineers, data scientists, and researchers have been instrumental in developing the AI systems that companies are now using to justify restructuring.

The companies cutting jobs are not failing. Meta reported strong earnings in its most recent quarter. Amazon’s cloud division continues to grow. These are strategic workforce reductions aimed at reshaping teams around new priorities — not distress layoffs born of financial necessity.

What Comes Next

Industry observers expect the layoff trend to continue through 2026 as companies calibrate their workforce to an AI-first strategy. For H-1B workers, the immediate challenge is survival within the 60-day window. The broader challenge is navigating an immigration system that ties legal status to a single employer in an era when employer loyalty is increasingly a one-way street.

Advocacy groups are pushing for legislative reforms, including extending the grace period and decoupling visa status from individual employers. Until then, thousands of skilled workers will keep watching the clock — counting down from 60 days to a decision that could change the trajectory of their lives.

The tech industry has long celebrated disruption. For H-1B workers caught in this latest wave, disruption is not a buzzword. It is a deadline.