Dear Sophie,
I was laid off and am on H-1B. I have enough savings to live for a while. What should I do if I am fired?
I am on H-1B, approved I-140 and I-797 expires March 2024.
If I have to leave the US, can I transfer my current I-797 to my next employer? Are there any issues I should be aware of?
– Renovated and unemployed
The season won’t change for another 43 days, but in San Francisco, it already feels like winter.
As an overseas weather system brings rain and rain, local employers like Twitter, Lyft, Stripe, Brakes, Opendoor and Chime are laying off thousands of workers. This week Meta will reportedly announce the first large-scale layoffs in its history.
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For tech workers who are immigrants, this is a tough time because their ability to stay in the US is a condition of their employment.
Most visa holders have a 60-day grace period after an unexpected layoff, but the clock is running short as thousands of skilled workers hit the market at once.
We usually run Silicon Valley-based immigration attorney Sophie Alcorn’s column on Wednesdays, but in light of current events, we ran it yesterday (without the paywall).
First order of business: If you are affected, don’t delay. Start watching right now Tell everyone in your network that you are open to a new position, and a job.
“Be direct about your desire to transfer your H-1B to a new employer at a job interview. If the company refuses to sponsor you, move on,” advises Sophie.
“Ideally, you should accept no more than 45 days of employment during your 60-day grace period unless you are applying for another failure status because it can take several weeks to process and file the H-1B transfer.”
Brace yourselves: more strikes are coming. Update your resume, save as much money as you can, and most importantly – don’t panic.
Thank you for reading
Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@your main actor
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Image Credits: Olemedia (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
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Mike Salguero at ButcherBox Dry Ice Factory
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Image Credits: Puruan / Getty Images
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Image Credits: Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images
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