Trump administration proposes waiving grace period for H-1B holders after job loss

The Trump administration has proposed scrapping the 60-day grace period for certain immigrants with H-1B and other temporary work visas after losing their jobs, according to a government notice published online on Thursday. The rule change, proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, would require these workers to leave the country immediately upon job loss, potentially causing disruption for tech companies that heavily rely on foreign workers.

The 60-day grace period, established in 2017, allows foreign workers time to find another job, sell a home, or handle personal matters before departing the country. Many H-1B workers have established themselves in their communities, with some having lived in the U.S. for years. Critics argue that forcing these workers to leave immediately is unjust and could create difficulties for HR teams managing layoffs.

The proposed rule would also affect E-visas, L-visas, O-visas, TN professional visas, H-1B1 visas from Singapore and Chile, and E-3 visas from Australia. The rule is currently under a two-month public comment period before it can be finalized.