What to Do When You Immigrate on Employment Visa and Lose Job

How to survive when you lose your overseas job?

Having grabbed a great job IT, engineering, management or any other stream can offer and availed that much desired employment visa to your preferred foreign destination, you must naturally be on high tides. But isn’t it a shocking scenario to imagine that you face a job loss subsequent upon immigration? It sure is, and given that numerous men and women have been led to this undesirable situation, a possibility cannot be denied in your case either. The point discussed here is definitely not to scare you, but is to understand that if this happens, you can still do a lot about it.

Considering you enter US with H-1B or work visa and have to face an unforeseen situation as job loss, the first thing for you to know is that your employer has completed immigration formalities vide form 1-129 and is thus liable for your return. Therefore, he will anyway have to hand you over an air ticket back home. Further, your visa regulations allow you a 10 day period to stay in US and undoubtedly, you can bring about a complete transformation in this period of 10 days.

One of the handiest resources for you at this crucial juncture is an immigration lawyer. Especially if you have made up your mind to stay in US, this person not only has the right legal advice for you but he also offloads you in working out other possible options to keep your immigration intact. While you go searching online or offline sources that offer jobs in USA, you must ensure that you have applied for a change of status. Failing this, you will be considered “out of status” as the ten day period ends. Again, your immigration lawyer will be of utmost help in preparing you for the status change interview and getting it done.

It is less likely that you get into one of the government jobs this early, but you can certainly get a part time job and yet keep looking for vacancies. As per the immigration law, your new employer will have to submit form 1-129 along with deposition of fees involved. Once you succeed in getting that change of status and getting a new job, you have set your feet firm and ensured stay in US. On the contrary, if you don’t intend to work with any other employer or things just seem to work your way, better leave this country before the stipulated period comes to an end.

Use this insight to keep your immigration dream ignited because job loss post immigration is not the worst scenario of your life; many doors nonetheless are wide open for you.