Kathmandu, September 11
The Trump administration has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows workers in the US to search for a new job or new sponsor after losing employment. The proposal also covers skilled workers on H-1B visas. This was disclosed in a government notice published online on Thursday.
Under the proposed rule published by the US Department of Homeland Security in the Federal Register, H-1B and other temporary work visa holders would be required to leave the United States as soon as their employment ends. The move could affect major American tech companies that rely heavily on foreign workers.
Since returning to power in January 2025, President Donald Trump has pursued this latest effort to restrict legal immigration. His administration has also decided to raise visa fees for skilled foreign workers.
In addition, as new training programmes are being rolled out, immigrant visa appointments at US missions worldwide have been temporarily suspended.
In its proposal, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged that the change could have some impact on the operations of affected companies. However, it expressed the view that American workers could be placed in those positions instead.
