Trump Administration Proposes Cutting Grace Period for H-1B and Other Visas

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed scrapping the policy allowing certain foreign workers—including H-1B visa holders—to remain in the U.S. for up to 60 days after losing their jobs to find a new sponsor, according to a government notice published Friday.Under the new proposal, some foreign workers would be considered immediately removable from the U.S. if they no longer work for an employer linked to their visa status.The proposal “restores a direct relationship between an alien’s nonimmigrant status and the specific employment or activity that formed the basis of his or her admission or grant of status in the United States and reduces administrative burden,” according to the notice in the Federal Register.Public comments on the proposal are accepted for 60 days. If adopted, the policy would mark one of the biggest changes to immigration policy, almost a decade after the grace period was created.Cracking down on legal immigrationIn early 2017, during the final days of the Obama Administration, a rule took effect stating that foreign citizens with legal immigration status under the H-1B visa, as well as several other visa categories, would have a 60-day grace period af...