September 2026 Immigration Alert H-1B workers could face a major change to the 60-day grace period. Here’s what the DHS proposal means, what remains in effect today, and what workers should know if they lose their job. STATUS: PROPOSED — NOT YET IN EFFECT The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is proposing to eliminate the discretionary 60-day grace period currently available to certain employment-based nonimmigrant workers after their employment ends. For H-1B workers, thi

Last updated: September 12, 2026 Is the $100,000 H-1B Fee Still in Effect? No, the $100,000 H-1B fee is not currently in effect. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit blocked it on July 24, 2026, and USCIS and the State Department cannot assess or collect it right now. On top of that, the presidential proclamation that created the fee is scheduled to expire on its own on September 19-20, 2026, unless the administration renews it before then. Both the court appeal an

September 2026 | Immigrants.live Analysis Losing a job in the United States is stressful for anyone. For an H-1B worker, it can also become an immigration emergency. That situation could become significantly more difficult if a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security becomes final. H-1B Visa in 2026 DHS has proposed eliminating the discretionary 60-day grace period that currently allows certain nonimmigrant workers to remain in the United States for up to 6

For most of the year, US immigration policy has moved in a familiar rhythm: a proclamation, a lawsuit, a stay, an appeal. But over the last ten days of August, five separate storylines converged on the same narrow window — the next three weeks of September. Taken individually, each is significant. Taken together, they add up to the most consequential stretch for US-bound immigrants since the H-1B fee was first announced a year ago. Here is exactly where each of them stands as

By Immigrants.live Research If you've tried to figure out the current status of the $100,000 H-1B fee by reading the news, you've probably come away more confused than when you started. That's not you — it's the story. In eleven months, this single policy has been announced, litigated, vacated by a federal judge, reinstated on appeal, and vacated again — and it's scheduled to expire in three weeks regardless of how any of that resolves. At the same time, and with far less att

The U.S. government is reviewing a proposal that could eliminate one of the most important safety nets for foreign workers: the 60-day grace period after losing a job. The rule has not changed yet. But if DHS moves forward, an H-1B worker could face a radically different reality after a layoff. You Lost Your H-1B Job. The Clock May No Longer Give You 60 Days For years, an H-1B worker who suddenly lost a job had something most people outside the immigration system barely knew

If you registered for the H-1B lottery this year and you're searching "H-1B cap reached 2027," "H-1B 2027 second round," or "not selected H-1B 2027 what to do" — here's what's actually confirmed, and what your options are now. H-1B FY2027 Cap Reached USCIS confirms the cap is closed — for good USCIS announced that it had received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year 2027 H-1B numerical allocat

July 11, 2026 An investigation into Policy Memo PM-602-0199 — and what it actually does to people who did everything right. USCIS Just Redefined What "Legal" Means for 783,000 Green Card Applicants ACT I: THE TITLE SAYS EVERYTHING The memo is 14 pages long. Its title is 22 words. "Adjustment of Status is a Matter of Discretion and Administrative Grace, and an Extraordinary Relief that Permits Applicants to Dispense with the Ordinary Consular Visa Process." Read that title slo

July 7, 2026 | United States | H-1B | Tech Talent | Brain Drain | Immigration The H-1B Program Lost 132,000 Registrations in One Year. Here's Where They Went H-1B registrations dropped 38.5% from FY2026 to FY2027 — from 344,000 to 212,000. Microsoft's Project Move, Big Tech expanding in India, Vancouver becoming America's tech overflow city. Here's what the data actually means and what to do about it. There is a number buried in a USCIS press release from March 2026 that tell

June 19, 2026 | Breaking News | United States Court Strikes Down Trump's $100,000 H-1B Fee — What It Means for Skilled Workers A federal judge has struck down the Trump administration's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, ruling it an unconstitutional tax imposed without congressional authorization. The decision — issued June 8, 2026 by Judge Leo Sorokin of the U.S. District Court in Boston — is effective immediately, though the administration has signaled it will appeal