{
  "id": 4173060,
  "title": "H-1B workers' 60-day grace period may end: What happens next",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/h-1b-workers-60-day-grace-period-may-end-what-happens-next",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-29T08:52:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/in-2017-us-government-introduced-60-day-grace-period-for-h-1b-visa-workers-9-years-later-dhs-wants-to-end-it-heres-the-status-update/articleshow/133608139.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nearly a decade ago, foreign workers in the United States who lost their jobs were granted a 60-day grace period to find a new employer or change their immigration status. A proposal from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end this 60-day grace period has advanced significantly, with White House review clearing its way toward becoming public. If implemented, the proposal could have profound implications for hundreds of thousands of H-1B visa holders, particularly Indian professionals who form a significant portion of H-1B visa recipients. However, the rule has not yet been officially enacted, and its final specifics remain undisclosed.\n\nThe 60-day grace period was established in 2017 to provide certain foreign workers and their dependents time after employment ends to seek new job opportunities, secure an employer willing to sponsor them, or apply to change their immigration status. This provision is especially crucial for H-1B workers experiencing sudden job losses, offering them a short window to make critical decisions without the immediate burden of leaving the country. If the grace period is eliminated, foreign workers and their dependents could be compelled to depart the United States immediately upon job termination, and transitioning to new employers or adjusting immigration status might become considerably more challenging, unless U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services deems it necessary to overlook status lapses. The proposal arrives at a time when the technology sector is witnessing considerable layoffs and job insecurity, heightening concerns for skilled foreign workers.\n\nIndian nationals constitute the largest group of beneficiaries from the H-1B program, with 71% of successful H-1B applications in the fiscal year 2024 originating from India, as per available data. The Indian-American community in the U.S. is estimated to number around 5.2 million. Former White House adviser Ajay Jain Bhutoria vocally opposes the proposal, advocating for the extension of the grace period to 180 days rather than its removal. Bhutoria argues that eliminating the 60-day grace period is both inhumane and impractical, especially for high-skilled workers who face abrupt terminations. He contends that such a move would leave thousands of law-abiding individuals with no time to conclude their affairs, while also posing significant disruptions for their families.\n\nThe next critical milestone in this process involves the DHS's proposal being published in the Federal Register, which will outline the specifics of the proposed change and initiate the public comment period before a final resolution is reached. For now, H-1B workers should remain aware that the 60-day grace period is still in effect. The White House's review is a significant step forward for the proposal but does not signify the final rule. This development is part of a larger set of proposed policy adjustments to the H-1B program, making the upcoming steps of great interest to foreign workers, U.S. employers, and immigration specialists.",
  "summary": "The US Department of Homeland Security is considering a proposal that may eliminate the 60-day grace period for foreign workers, particularly affecting H-1B visa holders and countless Indian professionals. This grace period currently allows individuals to seek new jobs or modify their status before needing to leave the US. Without it in place, workers may face immediate departure following job…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}