WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has proposed eliminating a 60-day grace period that allows certain immigrants, including skilled workers on H-1B visas, to stay in the United States and find a new sponsor after losing their job, according to a government notice posted online Thursday.
Under the planned rule change, published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, those with H-1B and certain other temporary work visas would have to leave the country as soon as their employment ends — a potential blow to top American tech companies that rely heavily on foreign workers.
It is the latest step by U.S. President Donald Trump to limit legal migration since returning to office in January 2025. His administration has also introduced higher visa fees for skilled workers and recently paused immigrant visa appointments at U.S. missions around the world while it implements a new training program.
Companies impacted by the change could see some disruption, DHS wrote in its proposal, but it said the jobs could go to American workers instead. In some situations, immigrant workers who leave could potentially reapply if their employer petitions for them, it added.
"DHS presumes that they will either offer the same jobs to equally qualified U.S. workers or go through the I-129 petition process depending on their workforce requirement," the notice said.