Indian techies on H-1B visas without green card petitions worst hit by layoffs

持H-1B签证的印度IT工程师受裁员影响最大

NEW DELHI: With big layoffs announced by several US companies, many Indian techies, who are on non-immigrant work permit visas, are badly hit.

Many on H-1B and L-1 visas, who have been laid-off, now face the grim reality of having to leave the US even though they have lived and worked there for many years. However, when faced with a termination notice from an employer, an Indian employee on an H-1B visa does have options to stay on in the US and look for another job.

When H-1B employment ends, though the employee is immediately out of status; the 2017 I-140 final rule provides 60-day grace period of continued status upon cessation of employment within I-94 (arrival-departure record form) validity for a change of employer petition to be filed. Upon termination, the employer must file a withdrawal of the H-1B employment petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“A person in the US in H status has a 60-day grace period within H-1B I-94 validity after H-1B employment termination. After the 60-day grace period within I-94 validity the H-1 is out of status, but lawfully present. The H-1 beneficiary may remain in the US for the entire H-1B I-94 validity and be lawfully present; even after the 60-day grace period,” explains Donald E Smith, managing attorney and shareholder of the northern California immigration law firm Litwin & Smith.

近期几家美国公司陆续宣布大规模裁员，许多持非移民工作许可签证的印度技术人员遭到了严重打击。

许多H-1B和L-1签证持有人尽管在美国生活工作了多年，一旦被裁员，就面临着被迫离开美国的严峻现实。但当雇主发出裁员通知时，持H-1B签证的印度雇员仍可选择留在美国，另谋出路。

当H-1B雇佣关系终结时，雇员立即失去身份；但2017年的I-140最终条例准予签证持有人在I-94(入境-离境记录表)有效期内拥有60天的宽限期来变更雇主。60天后，雇主必须向美国公民和移民服务局(USCIS)提交撤回H-1B申请。

“在美H- 1B签证持有人在I-94有效期内，拥有60天的宽限期。I-94有效期内，60天宽限期到期后，H-1签证失效，但可合法居留。即使在60天宽限期之后，H-1签证随同人可以在H- 1B  I-94有效期内留在美国并合法居留。”北加州移民律师事务所Litwin & Smith的管理律师兼合伙人唐纳德E史密斯解释道。

There are thousands of Indian professionals in the US who are on H visas and have been waiting for many years on long green card queues. The situation is more flexble for them than those in H-1B status without a pending green card application. “When laid off, a person in the US in H-1B status while their green card application is pending, may rely upon their green card employment authorisation document (EAD card) for continued employment within the US for same or similar employment as that sponsored,” says Smith.

On the other hand, a person in the US in H-1B status, without a pending green card application, will need to seek a new H-1B employment. “Those with H-1B status may return to India to pursue other employment opportunities. A person in India with H-1B remainder time, of the six-year limit, may be petitioned by a US employer in the future not subject to the H-1B cap,” Smith adds.

H and L visa holders, who are facing job losses, may also consider establishing a US entity to provide services within their field of expertise. “H visa holders might join together and the US entity that they form can sponsor H-1 visa holders for employment,” Smith said.

在美国有数千名持H签证的印度雇员，为了绿卡申请已经排队等候多年。他们的情况比那些拥有H-1B签证但尚未提交绿卡申请的人要灵活得多。史密斯说：“被解雇后，如果H-1B签证持有人的绿卡申请尚未审结，他们可以凭绿卡就业授权文件(EAD卡)继续留在美国就业，从事与被担保人相同或类似的工作。”

另一方面，如果H-1B签证持有人尚未提交绿卡申请，则需要寻找新的H-1B工作。“H-1B签证持有人可能会返回印度寻找就业机会。H-1B签证持有人可以先在印度工作等候(签证时间最长6年)，未来可以通过新的美国雇主提名，不受H-1B配额限制，”史密斯补充道。

H和L签证持有者如果面临失业，也可以考虑在美国开办公司，在他们的专业领域内提供服务。史密斯说：“H签证持有者可以联合组建公司，帮助H-1签证持有者就业。”

以下是印度时报读者的评论：

Simple Boy•2 hours ago

Good achievement by NRI's they make our country proud, so govt should extend support to them in such times.

海外印度裔的出色表现让我们的国家感到骄傲，政府应该在这种时候向他们提供支持。

User SUNDARARAMAN SRINIVASAN•Unknown•3 hours ago

No issue at all --- let our NRIs come back here --- best avocation of pakora-making on streets & platforms await them..................

这算啥，海外印度人都回印度来吧，在街边、站台上做炸菜小吃，这可是最好的副业..........

Rational Indian•Bangalore•11 hours ago

I see unprecedented craze among young professionals for overseas jobs without doing any feasibility. Many of them are going after overseas jobs even if they are paid less in comparison to what they probably would earn in India. They do not see any professional attributes like future growth potential, job-security etc. They just want to experience western culture, they think that by moving overseas their life would be superior.

我发现年轻人才没有深思熟虑，对海外工作抱着前所未有的狂热向往。他们中的许多人都想去海外工作，就算工资比印度低也一意孤行。他们不在乎专业适配，不考虑发展潜力或工作保障等。他们只是想体验西方文化，觉得海外生活就是更香。

SlamDunk•US•12 hours ago

Been there, done that...Green Card waiting is not worth it. India has ample opportunities .You have one life to live better live close to them. Heard lot of female don't even want come to US as they have tons of good jobs (now even work from home) and domestic help available to make life little easier

我也在美国呆过，经历过……为绿卡苦苦等待太不值得了，印度也有很多机会，你能享受更好的生活，离得更近。听说很多女性都不想来美国，因为她们有很多好工作(现在甚至可以在家工作)。

Logician•12 hours ago

The main reason behind these layoffs of Indians in U.S.A is a result of millions of Indians after 2014 went to U.S because of highest unemployment in India soon after PM Modi and BJP came to power in 2014. Now all of them must never try to come back even if they have to wash cars or wash utensils to survive because here in India the things are even worse and all of them must not come back to India and must till 2024 when Mr. Rahul Gandhi Ji becomes PM of India, otherwise na idhar ke rahenge ... Read More

印度人被裁员的主要原因是2014年之后有数百万印度人涌向美国，因为2014年莫迪总理和人民党上台后，印度失业率达到了巅峰。现在，他们就算只能留在美国靠洗车刷盘子为生也决不想回印度，因为印度的情况更糟。除非等到2024年拉胡尔·甘地就职印度总理，他们才可能回国。

Pipe•Bharat•12 hours ago

When close to 20K or more qualified people int he same exact tech space are let go - good jobs, or any jobs, are and will be hard to come by. I am guessing many will prefer to stay there illegally rather than come back home.

同一技术领域一下有2万多人被解雇，在当下甚至未来，想找一份好工作或随便一份工作都很难。我猜很多人宁愿非法滞留也不愿回国。

User Kumar•12 hours ago

Dont give undue attention to just doctors and engineers.......Respect all jobs

不要只关注医生和工程师.......我们要尊重所有职业

Rocky Reh•12 hours ago

why hindoos leave ram rajya to go struggle out?

为什么印度人要离开罗摩的土地，去外头苦苦挣扎？

SlamDunk• Rocky Reh•US•11 hours ago

to spread Ram Rajya everywhere !! Jealous?

为了传播罗摩的教义！！你是柠檬精上身了么？

ZN swq2•13 hours ago

Govt must declare same salaries and benefits to the IT professionals so they return back to motherland.

政府必须给这些IT专家跟美国一样的工资和福利，这样他们才会回国。

Zavier Banerjea•13 hours ago

These US techies have earned enough money and more that Indian techies would never achieve. No need to project them as victims. They are very well off

这些美国工程师已经赚足了钱，印度工程师永远也赚不到。没必要把他们塑造成受害者的形象。他们有钱着呢。

Rational Indian• Zavier Banerjea•Bangalore•11 hours ago

Not true! Perhaps you do not understand the H1B game! Most of the H1B employees are the most exploited ones!

不对！也许你并不了解H1B的游戏规则！大多数H1B员工都是饱受剥削的！

bhartiya singh•13 hours ago

India Techies in USA on H-1B Visas are brainy lot and they will find better opportunities within US. Even if they return to India after being laid-off, booming Indian economy will absorb them. India is no more a lame duck but an emerging global economic power with highest growth rate.

在美国持H-1B签证的印度技术人员都是高智商人才，他们会在美国找到更好的机会的。就算他们被解雇，回到印度，印度欣欣向荣的经济也能吸纳他们。印度不再是困难缠身、无力发展的印度了，印度已经是一个增长速度最高的新兴全球经济大国了。

•13 hours ago

Immigration lawyers are minting money

移民律师要大发横财了。

•13 hours ago

They will not have any problems in the US. OUR VISHWAGURU MODI JI CONTROLS MANY GOVTS IN THE WORLD. - EK BHAKTA

他们在美国会没事的。我们的莫迪控制着世界上许多政府呢。

Suvle Seeker•Haiti•13 hours ago

All bad advice. The deep recession is just begin8ng. Second the parallel tech ( IT) recession is running parallel to it but is much deeper. Google will announce huge employee reduction weeks from today. Many others will add more reduction last week of Dec and in January. So nobody ( except very very few) want to sponsor H1B.

净出馊主意。严重的衰退才刚刚开始呢。科技(IT)的衰退也开始了。从今天开始宣布大规模裁员。其他公司也会在12月的最后一周和明年1月进一步裁员。所以没有人(除了极少数人)愿意赞助H1B签证持有人。

• Suvle Seeker•13 hours ago

Very insensitive, heartless comment. Maybe none of your family or friends in that bad situation in USA.

好多评论都很麻木无情，事不关己高高挂起。也许你的家人或朋友在美国都没有遭遇这种不幸。

Chander•Ahmedabad•14 hours ago

Our most revered PM should use his personal relations with Mr. Joe Biden in right earnest to save the livelihood of those people are the torch bearer of the nation and earned immense respect beside valuable foreign exchange for the nation.

我们最受尊敬的总理应该好好利用一下他跟拜登先生的私人关系，拯救这些人的生计，毕竟他们为印度带来了极大的尊重和宝贵的外汇。

•14 hours ago

it's better work hard in india

不如回印度拼搏一番

DDP• Satya•Malaysia•8 hours ago

Sorry Satya, Koo, our twitter equivalent only has 1 crore users. Even if our techies create new equivalents, we will never use coz we glorify anything foreign. Too bad!

抱歉Satya, Koo，我们的推特用户只有1000万。就算我们的技术人员打造出新的推特之流，我们也不会用，因为我们就喜欢外国的东西。太气人了！

User Kumar•14 hours ago

Why do we pamper cricketers, doctors and engineers and undermine other equally important jobs..........These people are the most cunning and selfish lot who desert India at the first chance and then talk bad about India abroad

为什么我们总是偏爱板球运动员、医生和工程师，而瞧不起其他同样重要的职业..........这些人最狡猾最自私了，一有机会就立刻抛弃印度，跑国外说印度的坏话。

• User Kumar•14 hours ago

Don't worry, you'll get over the sour grapes syndrome, sooner or later.

别担心，迟早你会习惯吃酸葡萄的。

• User Kumar•14 hours ago

stop whining so much. You give importance to other jobs then. Who is stop you?

别发牢骚了。这样你才会重视其他工作。谁拦着你了？

Raj•14 hours ago

Go back and Make One Dazzling India.

回国去，打造一个闪耀炫目的印度吧。

Blake Carrington•Atlanta•15 hours ago

India should create a home coming program. But do you know in Hyderabad, if the Techie on H1 B does not get green card, he has to return the dowry to his in laws.... These days it's like deposit or loan against green card which these H1 Clowns use to buy house in US.

印度应该制定一个返乡计划。你知道吗，在海德拉巴，如果H1B持有人没有拿到绿卡，他必须把嫁妆退还给岳家....现在搞得就像H1申请人用绿卡做定金或抵押，在美国买房一样。

Guest Login

Please dont come back to India and take up the available jobs for indians staying here

拜托，你们千万不要回印度跟留守的印度人抢工作呀。

Kamal Saboo

welcome back. modis india need you more than bidens america.

欢迎回国。比起拜登领导的美国，莫迪领导的印度更需要你们。

Need More Land

Bring back all of our techies and create national digital voting system that is fool proof.

所有的技术人员都回国吧，打造一个可以信赖的全国电子投票系统。

Piyush Mohapatra

Don't publish this irrelevant article in India. Nobody who is IN India needs to know about it.

Wasted 3 precious minutes minutes of my life in this article.

不要在印度发表这种不相干的文章。印度人不需要了解这种事。

这篇文章浪费了我生命中宝贵的3分钟。

•15 hours ago

Any job, anywhere that does not involve manufacturing will be mobile. Such jobs can easily shed workforce and still be stable. In a rush to make the quick buck, many engineers whose academic preparation could make them highly eligible to work in the manufacturing sector, switched to software (IT) jobs. There are two bad effects: (1) such IT jobs can shed kabor easily, and, (2) the manufacturing sector is starving because of the dire lack of qualified personnel. Amidst such a crisis, one keeps blaming Modi, BJP, China, USA etc.

任何与制造业无关的工作，在任何地方都是可以灵活机动的。因为急功近利，很多工程师（本来可以投身制造业）转向了IT工作。这样做有两个坏的影响：(1)这样的IT工作很容易被裁(2)制造部门严重缺乏人才，得不到发展。而对于这样的危机，人们只会不断指责莫迪、人民党、中国、美国。