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On the background of economic slowdown impacting jobs, Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) appeals the President Biden, the members of congress & senate and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) to extend H1B and L1/5 grace periods. With massive layoffs in the tech industry, Jan 2023 has been a brutal for tech professionals. Many talented folks lost jobs. As the tech industry is dominated by Indian immigrants, they are highest among the impacted. The laid off H1b holders need to find H1b sponsoring job in 60 days or leave within 10days after become out of status.
This will have a huge disruption on the family lives and children education etc on this tax paying and contributing legal immigrant, especially on their children, including the US-born citizens. As the Silicon Valley is mostly built and run by tech immigrants where more than 70% startups have immigrant Indian cofounders and as of 2022 almost 50+ CEOs of public companies are Indian origin migrants, such exodus of talent from the US is harmful for the long term interests of the USA.
Hence, FIIDS appeals the President of the United States, the secretary of Department of Homeland security, the members of congress and senate and the USCIS to sympathetically consider the impact of the families on humanitarian ground and extend the two months grace period to at least to six months and the 10 days grace period to at least two months.
We are trying to help via Global Indian Technology Professionals Association (GITPRO) and Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies ( FIIDS). GITPRO has launched Job Assistance Network (JAN) https://forms.gle/L24oBCByVLWiThJx7 to connect job seekers to job referrers/informers. Job seekers as well as those who can help them should provide the information for the help.
