Thousands of Indian IT professionals, who have been rendered jobless by recent layoffs at companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon in the US, are now struggling to find new jobs within the stipulated period under their work visas to stay in the country. Huh.
According to ‘The Washington Post’, since November last year, about 2,00,000 employees in the IT sector have been laid off, with Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Amazon among the companies cutting a record number.
Industry sources said that 30 to 40 per cent of those laid off are Indian IT professionals, a large number of whom came here on H-1B or L1 visas. Now these people are looking for alternatives to stay in America. After losing a job, foreigners are struggling to find new employment within the prescribed period of a few months under the working visa, so as to change their visa status.
Geeta (name changed) came here just three months back to work in Amazon. This week he was told that March 20 would be the last day of his term. On January 18, Microsoft showed the way out to another IT professional who came to America on H-1B visa. “The situation is very bad,” she says.
For those who came here on H-1B visas, the situation is even more dire; Because he will have to find a new job within 60 days or return to India.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur and community leader Ajay Jain Bhutodia said, “It is unfortunate that thousands of technology workers are being laid off, especially for those on H-1B visas. The challenges are even greater, because They have to find new employment within 60 days of leaving the job and get their visa transferred or else they will be forced to leave the country.
Global Indian Technology Professionals Association (GITPRO) and Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) on Sunday launched a community initiative to help these IT professionals. Khanderao Kand of FIIDS said, “January 2023 has been very difficult for the professionals in the technology sector due to large scale job cuts in the technology industry. Many talented people lost their jobs. They are also the most affected due to the sizeable number of Indian expatriates in the technology industry.
H-1B visa holders must find an H-1B sponsored job within 60 days of losing their job or leave the country within ten days after the status expires.
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