A former Meta employee who spent 14 years building his career in the United States is moving back to India after losing his job in the company’s May layoffs.
The case highlights the difficulties faced by H-1B visa holders, whose legal status in the US is closely linked to their employment.
In a LinkedIn post that gained attention on social media, the former employee said he had no option but to return to Hyderabad after his immigration grace period expired.
“Late to the game here, but I was impacted by Meta’s last round of layoffs in May this year,” he wrote.
“The clock has now run out on my immigration status in the US, so I have had to make the difficult decision to move my family back to India,” he added.
The employee said he had spent several weeks searching for another job but was unable to secure an opportunity within the limited time available.
He is now looking for roles in India and has asked his professional network to help connect him with potential employers.
Describing the past seven weeks as an “emotional roller coaster,” he said the period was filled with hope, anxiety, uncertainty and long waits.
He also said his immigration status had become a major issue in every job discussion.
Several promising opportunities reportedly failed to move forward because employers could not complete the hiring and visa-transfer process before his deadline.
“My family is now wrapping up a life we built here in the US over the last 14 years and looking to start over in Hyderabad next week,” he wrote.
He said the family had built many memories and friendships in the US, making the final weeks emotionally painful.
The story received wider attention after the social media account LayoffAI shared parts of his post on X.
“Meta cut him in May. The 60-day clock did the rest. His family starts over in Hyderabad next week,” the account wrote.
The employee had previously worked at Tata Consultancy Services, Amazon and Meta, all of which are among the biggest sponsors of H-1B workers in the United States.
Under current US immigration rules, most H-1B workers who lose their jobs receive a grace period of up to 60 days.
During this period, they must find another qualifying employer, change their immigration status or leave the country.
Those who fail to take one of these steps risk losing their lawful immigration status.
The case has once again triggered debate over the dependence of H-1B workers on their employers, especially during large-scale layoffs in the technology sector.
Many Indian professionals remain on temporary visas for several years because of long employment-based green card backlogs.
As a result, even workers who have lived and worked in the US for more than a decade can be forced to leave the country soon after losing their jobs.
