Raj’s American dream took a sharp turn. Just a month after securing his H-1B visa and moving from India to work at Tesla, he found himself jobless. Tesla, in a cost-cutting move, laid off 20% of its workforce globally. This meant Raj had only 60 days to find another job or face leaving the country.
Raj wasn’t alone. The tech industry, facing challenges and embracing automation, is seeing a rise in layoffs. Over 80,000 tech workers have lost their jobs so far this year, and the number is expected to climb. Tesla itself is planning more cuts as CEO Elon Musk focuses on self-driving cars and artificial intelligence.
The layoffs at Tesla happened abruptly. One morning, Raj arrived at the office and found his email access blocked. He initially thought it was a technical glitch, but soon, an email confirmed his fears – he, along with many others in his department and shift, were being laid off.
Social media posts from Raj and other workers revealed that Tesla terminated their positions immediately. Some previous rounds of layoffs followed the WARN Act, which requires companies to give notice before mass job cuts. It’s unclear if Tesla followed this in the latest round. While some employees would be paid for an additional two months, Raj worried about the future of production.
Tesla’s sales had dropped significantly, and Raj believed the remaining staff would be overloaded. Production teams would face pressure, and some might even be left without supervisors. This sudden move left employees across departments confused and sent ripples of shock through the electric vehicle industry.
The pressure didn’t stop after Raj got his H-1B visa. His department at Tesla was understaffed, and he often worked overtime to keep up with production. It was a demanding and stressful environment.
Now jobless, finding a new position is harder for Raj compared to American workers. Smaller companies rarely sponsor work visas for production managers, leaving international workers like him vulnerable during layoffs.
The H-1B visa offers a two-month grace period after job loss. If Raj can’t find a new job within that timeframe, he’ll be forced to leave the U.S., potentially facing deportation and a permanent entry ban.
This worries Raj deeply. After seven years in the U.S. and over five years at Tesla, his future rests on what he accomplishes in the next 60 days. Despite supporting a family with four sisters back home, Raj remains hopeful. He’s ready to move on and find a new role instead of dwelling on the layoffs.
