The United States Department of Homeland Security published a draft regulatory proposal on Friday seeking to eliminate the longstanding sixty-day grace period granted to specialty occupation visa holders following employment termination, a move that threatens severe disruption for thousands of foreign tech professionals.
Under the existing framework established in 2017, laid-off guest workers holding non-immigrant visas possess two months to secure sponsorship with another employer, apply for status change, or arrange an orderly departure. The proposed rule would mandate that legal status ceases immediately upon contractual cessation, compelling non-resident employees to exit the country within seven days unless granted expedited emergency dispensations.
Technology industry associations and immigrant advocacy organizations expressed urgent alarm over the announcement, warning that the policy change would disproportionately hit Indian engineers who comprise more than seventy percent of skilled visa recipients. Industry representatives warned that abruptly removing grace periods will exacerbate talent flight toward alternative tech destinations like Canada and the United Kingdom while severely harming corporate innovation pipelines.
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Sources:
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/today-india-breaking-news-live-updates-11-september-2026-delhi-weather-brics-vellore-church-10872933/