Diaspora Organization Calls for Extension of H-1B Grace Period to 180 Days

HI INDIA NEWS DESK

An Indian diaspora organization, Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) is seeking urgent extension of H-1B grace period to 180 days.

The organization said in a statement: “Time is running out for laid off professionals to stay legally in the US, the USCIS needs to urgently extend their grace period to avoid humanitarian impact and also to retain US competitive edge,

Khanderao Kand, President and Policy Director of FIIDS said, “Over 250,000+ have been laid off in the USA since Oct 2022 and this number is growing with companies like Meta announcing another set of tens of thousands of layoffs. A large number of these professionals are tax-paying H-1B immigrants (estimated 100,000), particularly from India, who need to leave the US if they cannot find another employer filing for their H-1B in 60 days. This has a humanitarian impact on them as their families, including their US born children are uprooted abruptly.”