H-1B grace period faces major change under the Trump administration. Officials have proposed ending the 60-day window that currently lets skilled foreign workers stay in the United States after their jobs end. The plan appears in a government notice from the Department of Homeland Security.
Right now, H-1B visa holders and people on several other temporary work visas get sixty days to search for a new sponsor or settle personal matters. That could mean selling a house or moving children out of school. Under the new rule, workers would need to leave the country as soon as employment stops. The change would hit H-1B, E-1, E-2, L-1, O-1, TN, H-1B1, and E-3 visa categories.
Tech companies that depend heavily on talent from India and China could feel the impact first. Firms such as Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL Tech, and LTIMindtree rank among the top sponsors of these visas. DHS says companies might fill the same roles with qualified American workers or file fresh petitions if they still need foreign staff.
The grace period has existed since 2017. Ending it would shrink the time human resources teams have to handle layoffs and offboarding for foreign employees. Immigration lawyers note the tighter timeline could create sudden pressure on both workers and employers.
This step fits a broader pattern. Since returning to office in January 2025, the administration has raised visa fees for skilled workers and paused some immigrant visa appointments while rolling out new training programs. Officials argue the jobs can go to U.S. citizens instead.
The proposal still faces a two-month public comment period before it can take effect. Until then, the current sixty-day buffer remains in place. Workers and companies watching the H-1B landscape will need to track the rule closely as comments roll in and final decisions form.
The move signals a clear shift in how temporary work visas operate. For many skilled professionals, the end of a job could now mean immediate departure rather than a short window to regroup and find new opportunities inside the country.
