Is Your U.S. Visa Status in Jeopardy? Open This 'Emergency Kit'

Recently, tech giant Meta announced a large-scale layoff, affecting nearly 5% of its workforce, meaning over 3,600 employees are about to lose their jobs. This layoff is extensive and not just targeting underperforming employees; many who have performed well in the company have also been caught up in this 'layoff wave.' This sudden layoff news has caused a stir both inside and outside the industry.

This is another significant adjustment following Meta's two consecutive large-scale layoffs in 2022 and 2023. In November 2022 and March 2023, Meta laid off approximately 11,000 and 10,000 employees, respectively.

For employees holding H-1B work visas, the layoffs bring not only the blow of unemployment but also the challenge of visa status. The H-1B visa is an important pathway for many international students to stay and work in the U.S. after graduation. However, once laid off, they find themselves in a very passive situation. According to relevant regulations, H-1B employees have a 60-day grace period after being laid off. If they don't find a new job within this short 60-day window, all their efforts will be in vain, and they will have to leave the land they have worked hard on. Carefully planned career blueprints and life aspirations instantly become illusions. This precarious visa situation causes anxiety among countless international students.

Even if one is lucky enough to escape this layoff storm, it doesn't mean they can rest easy. The H-1B visa has a maximum validity of only six years. If there is no PERM labor certification or I-140 green card application in place by the time it expires, one must leave the country for a year and re-enter the H-1B lottery. Whether one can be selected is another gamble... To truly achieve this so-called 'American Dream,' every step is fraught with risks and challenges, which is truly nerve-wracking.

In such a challenging and uncertain path to staying in the U.S., planning for a green card in advance becomes increasingly important. For families whose children are already studying in the U.S. or planning to study there, if they wish to work and live in the U.S. without the hassle of an H-1B visa, it is advisable to plan early: having a green card allows you to study and stay!

For example, through U.S. EB-5 Investment Immigration to quickly obtain a U.S. Green Card, choose the EB-5 reserved visa project, invest $800,000, and simultaneously submit I-526E and I-485 applications. In about 3 months, you can get a Combo Card, and waiting for the green card does not affect entry and exit. You can legally reside, study, and work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship, enjoying the freedom of a quasi-green card in advance. This not only solves the worries about visa status but also provides stable security for long-term development in the U.S.