A Reddit user on H-1B status has shared a troubling experience involving an administrative error by their former employer, raising questions about the immigration consequences of unintentional unauthorized employment.
According to the user, they had formally notified their employer in writing that their last working day would be May 23, 2025, as they prepared to transition to a new job. However, the employer reportedly entered May 16, 2025, as the termination date in their internal system, leading to the premature withdrawal of their H-1B petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Although the company corrected the internal record, the H-1B withdrawal had already been filed and could not be reversed. The user, unaware of the withdrawal, continued to work on May 19 and May 20. Upon being alerted by HR, they stopped working immediately.
The user confirmed they were paid for the full week, including the two disputed days. They also noted that their H-1B transfer to the new employer had already been approved before those dates.
The key concern: Could two days of unintentional work after the H-1B withdrawal raise red flags in future H-1B extensions, visa stamping, employer transfers, or even green card applications?
A user suggested that short periods of unauthorized employment, especially if unintentional and promptly addressed, may not necessarily trigger serious consequences, particularly if no fraud is involved and the individual was otherwise maintaining valid status. However, such incidents may appear in future immigration records and could invite scrutiny during consular processing or adjustment of status.
