A tech professional recently shared a candid account on Reddit about being laid off shortly after returning to the United States on an H-1B visa. The user, a 29-year-old, described the experience as “dejecting” and warned others about the risks of blind loyalty to a company.
Journey Across Countries Before US Return
The individual had been with the same company since graduating with a master’s degree in 2021. When their H-1B visa was not picked in the previous year’s lottery, the company initially transferred them to India for three months, followed by a transfer to Canada once the visa process was complete.
“My H-1B was finally picked in this year’s lottery and they filed it over the summer. Now here’s when I started realizing my team is doing bad and we aren’t working on billable hours. I upgraded to Premium processing out of pocket and moved back to US September end,” the user wrote.
Layoff Comes as a Shock Despite Experience
Despite being one of the longest-tenured members of the team, the professional was laid off along with a colleague. “We were still pretty much not doing any billable work and I was laid off with another colleague today morning. I wouldn’t say I didn’t see it coming, but I didn’t expect the first one on chopping block as I am the second most oldest person tenure wise,” they shared. The post emphasized the need for professionals to look out for themselves rather than relying solely on company loyalty.
“My biggest regret is not starting to apply for jobs earlier. I was worried it’d look bad to switch right after coming back to the US. Lesson learned: no company is worth blind loyalty, always look out for yourself,” the Reddit user added.
The post has sparked discussions among tech professionals and H1B visa holders on navigating career risks, visa uncertainties, and the importance of timely job applications.
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