Ex-Meta techie leaves US after 14 years due to layoff, immigration clock ticking

Sridhar Vanka, a former technical program manager at Meta, is leaving the United States after 14 years to return to his home in Hyderabad, India. The layoff, which occurred in May, has forced him to confront the ticking immigration clock.

“

The last ~7 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster - optimism, hope, uncertainty, anxiety, heart breaks and waiting - lots and lots of waiting. I have grown tired of my immigration status fore-shadowing every conversation. There were also a few exciting opportunities that I could not pursue because of the afore-mentioned immigration clock.

Vanka shared his emotional journey on LinkedIn, describing weeks of optimism, uncertainty, and anxiety. He expressed frustration with his immigration status dictating conversations and preventing him from pursuing new opportunities. "I have grown tired of my immigration status fore-shadowing every conversation," he wrote.

His family is now packing up their life in the US to start anew in India. Vanka noted the difficulty visa holders face after job loss, regardless of their tenure in the country. He previously worked at Amazon and TCS before joining Meta. For H-1B visa holders, a layoff typically allows a 60-day grace period to find new employment or face departure. While some switch to other visa types, Vanka indicated this is not a viable option for senior professionals.

“

My family is now wrapping up a life we built here in the US over the last 14 years and looking to start over in Hyderabad starting next week. A lot of wonderful memories and friendships - these last couple of weeks have been gut-wrenching.

Responding to a question about why his Green Card was not filed, Vanka cited a combination of his employer's lack of investment and a significant Green Card backlog. "No easy answers/lessons there unfortunately," he stated, reflecting the complex and often frustrating realities of the US immigration system for skilled workers.

“

I guess it is a combination of the employer not investing enough in the employee to make that happen + a really long green card backlog. No easy answers/lessons there unfortunately.