When a foreign national receives a job offer in the United States, they likely understand that this opportunity could change their life. Particularly if someone is a skilled or highly educated professional, a job could be the first step toward establishing permanent residence in the United States.
Sometimes, people can even become citizens after working in the country for years. Unfortunately, there is never a guarantee that a job will persist for the duration of someone’s visa. Sometimes, workers lose their jobs due to terminations or mass layoffs. What happens when a worker loses their job while on a work visa?
They have a chance to find a new one
Workers in a variety of skilled positions with specialized employment visas have an opportunity to look for a new job after a termination. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extends a 60-day grace period to many workers with employment visas.
If they are able to secure a new job during those 60 days, they can potentially remain in the United States. They can also renew the visa as they would have if they retained their original job. Workers may want to look into alternate options for protecting their right to stay in the country beyond just securing a new job. There may be other immigration opportunities available to someone who has already lived in the United States for some time.
Reviewing one’s circumstances carefully while simultaneously looking for new employment opportunities can reduce the likelihood that a job loss will lead to someone’s removal from the country.