According to the tracking website Layoffs.fyi, over 146,000 IT professionals have been let go so far this year, including 51,000 only in November. The difficulties faced by foreigners with temporary work permits go far beyond surviving without salaries. They have 60 days to obtain employment at a different firm that would sponsor them for a visa; else, they must leave the country. “The extent of the layoffs is of the likes I have never seen before,” said one immigration attorney. For years, tens of thousands of engineers in India have been producing software. Most are on H-1B visas, sometimes known as highly skilled worker visas. As the U.S. economy becomes more dependent on technology, there is a growing demand for such skills.
Many H-1B visa holders who were employed by Twitter were laid off, leaving them in need of new jobs. Chinese software developer Yiwei Zhuang stated on LinkedIn that she had 60 days to begin new employment. Indian citizen Sujatha Krishnaswamy expressed her anxiety over her vulnerable status on LinkedIn. They need to locate an employer prepared to cover the expense of their visa and green card renewals if they want to remain in the country. More than 500 people have accessed an unofficial database created by Indian computer employees on LinkedIn to assist other H-1B visa holders in finding employment.
There have been frequent layoffs at both large and small businesses, as well as IT giants and startups. Many businesses have reduced their workforces after enacting hiring freezes as they prepare for the effects of supply chain problems.
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