FOR SOME, THE LINGERING
UNCERTAINTY IS PERHAPS MAGNIFIED
FOR PEOPLE WITH H1B WORK VISAS.
MATT LUPOLI HAS THE STOR
>> I WORK AS A PROJECT MANAGER
FOR A CLIENT, AND I’M PART OF AN
I.T. CONSULTING FIRM.
MATT: A WOMAN WHO LIVES IN
ORLANDO AND WORKS FOR A MAJOR
EMPLOYER ON AN H1B WORK VISA
LEARNED MONDAY HER DAYS ON THE
JOB ARE NUMBERED.
SHE ASKED WE KEEP HER PERSONAL
INFORMATION PRIVATE, AS SHE
STARTS HER SEARCH FOR A NEW WORK
SPONSOR.
SHE SAYS FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE SHE MOVED TO THE U.S.
FROM INDIA, SHE FEELS IN LIMBO.
>> I CAME INTO THIS COUNTRY THE
FIRST TIME IN 2011.
I DID MY MASTER’S HERE ON A
STUDENT VISA.
MY WORK VISA HAS BEEN VALID FOR
SIX YEARS NO
IT IS GOING TO COMPLETE I
SIX-YEAR TERM AND MY EMPLOYER
ALSO FILED FOR MY GREENCARD.
MATT: NOW, THOUGH, WITHOUT WOR
AND A PAYCHECK, SHE SAYS THE
CLOCK ON HER UNEMPLOYMENT GRACE
PERIOD OF TWO MONTHS BEGIN
>> BECAUSE WE ARE VISA HOLDERS,
WE CANNOT CLAIM UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS.
THE CHANCES OF US FINDING
ANOTHER EMPLOYER TO SPONSOR US
WITHIN SUCH A SHORT SPAN IS
REALLY SLIM.
MATT: SHE IS NOT ALONE.
AND WITH A SURGING NUMBER OF H
WORKERS LOSING THEIR JOBS, A
PETITION HAS BEEN OPENED WITH
THE WHITE HOUS ASKING FOR
TWO-MONTH GRACE PERIOD TO EXTEND
TO SIX MONTHS FOR ALL OF THE
WORKERS AFFECTED.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO’VE BEEN
HERE MANY YEARS, THEY’VE BUILT
THEIR FAMILIES AND YOU KNOW,
THEIR KIDS ARE CITIZENS WHO’VE
STUDIED IN SCHOOLS HERE, AND
THEIR WHOLE PAYROLL RUNS ON
SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES.
MATT: THE PETITION PUT UP ON T
WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE ASKS FOR AN
EXTENSION TO BE GRANTED
TEMPORARIL
IT WOULD NEED A TOTAL OF 100,000
SIGNATURES TO GET A RESPONSE
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
MATT LUPOLI, WESH 2
