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Does job loss lead to deportation? 

On Behalf of | Jan 16, 2023 | Visa

You know that your eventual goal is to become a U.S. citizen. You want to create a new life for yourself and for your family in the United States, and this is the path to get there.

But you also know that it’s going to be a long path. You have gotten a visa so that you can work in the United States. Once you arrive, you plan to work on getting your green card, and then you want to become a citizen. There are many steps in the process, but they all lead to your end goal.

However, the visa that you got to take the job in the United States is an H1-B visa, which is connected to that employment opportunity. If you quit your job or get fired – or even if the company just has to downsize – is that going to mean that you get deported and your entire plan is derailed?

There is a grace period

You could be deported for losing a job and then staying in the United States on a work visa, even though you are not working. In fact, overstaying visas is one of the most common forms of illegal immigration in the U.S. It is definitely something that the government is looking for.

That being said, there’s a grace period of 60 days if you do lose your job. You do not have to leave immediately, you are not going to get deported right away and you are not problematically in violation of your visa until this grace period ends. This gives you a chance to find another job or perhaps even to apply for a different type of status.

Immigration can be complicated, and it’s important to know about all of the different legal steps you need to take and the options you have at your disposal.