Current:Home > MyWhen big tech laid off these H-1B workers, a countdown began-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
When big tech laid off these H-1B workers, a countdown began
View Date:2024-12-23 18:40:45
People come from all over the world to work in U.S. tech. And during the tech boom years, the industry relied heavily on foreign workers. This is how we built Silicon Valley – with great minds coming from everywhere to work in the U.S.
But when the industry started to shrink, all of these people who moved here for work are finding that linking their jobs to their residency is really complicated. That was the case for Aashka and Nilanjan. Aashka was a product engineer at Amazon, and Nilanjan worked in digital advertising for Google. They both lost their jobs in the layoffs each company announced earlier this year.
When Aashka and Nilanjan got the news, a clock started ticking. Because they are both H-1B recipients, they only have 60 days to find new jobs before they risk being sent home. And they can't get just any job – they need new employers in their field willing to sponsor their visa.
On today's show, we followed two tech workers as they tried to find jobs before their visas expired, and what they went through as H-1B recipients trying to stay in the country.
This episode was hosted by Alyssa Jeong Perry and Amanda Aronczyk, produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, engineered by James Willetts, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and edited by Molly Messick and Jess Jiang.
Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
Always free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or anywhere you get podcasts.
Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.
Music: "County Seat," "Secret Passage," and "Machine Melody."
veryGood! (35)
Related
- Republican Vos reelected as Wisconsin Assembly speaker despite losing seats, fights with Trump
- Flights and ferries halted in South Korea ahead of storm that’s dumped rain on Japan for a week
- Shipping company ordered to pay $2.25M after discharging oily bilge off Rhode Island
- Missouri grandfather charged in 7-year-old’s accidental shooting death
- 'Treacherous conditions' in NYC: Firefighters battling record number of brush fires
- As a writer slowly loses his sight, he embraces other kinds of perception
- The science of happiness sounds great. But is the research solid?
- Why Americans plan to take Social Security earlier, and even leave retirement money behind
- QTM Community Introduce
- DeSantis replaces campaign manager in latest staff shake-up
Ranking
- ‘Heretic’ and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ tops box office again
- NYC doctor sexually assaulted unconscious patients and filmed himself doing it, prosecutors say
- Wegovy patients saw 20% reduction in cardiovascular risks, drugmaker says
- When a brain injury impairs memory, a pulse of electricity may help
- The NBA Cup is here. We ranked the best group stage games each night
- Thousands without power after severe weather kills 2, disrupts thousands of flights
- After a glacial dam outburst destroyed homes in Alaska, a look at the risks of melting ice masses
- Whataburger is 73! How to get free burger on 'National Whataburger Day' Tuesday
Recommendation
-
US wholesale inflation picks up slightly in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
-
Revitalizing a ‘lost art’: How young Sikhs are reconnecting with music, changing religious practice
-
Murder charge against Texas babysitter convicted of toddler's choking death dismissed 20 years later
-
Horoscopes Today, August 8, 2023
-
Colts' Kenny Moore II ridicules team's effort in loss to Bills
-
Raven-Symoné suffered a seizure after having breast reductions, liposuction before turning 18
-
West Virginia approves more pay for corrections workers as lawsuit is filed over conditions
-
Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet in 2020