Indian Employees Stranded by U.S. Visa Delays... Big Tech Faces Turmoil

Amazon Extends Remote Work Period
From 20 Days to 3 Months

Amazon logo, the world's largest e-commerce company. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Following Google, Apple, and Microsoft (MS), Amazon is also experiencing delays in U.S. visa processing, causing significant disruptions in operations for major big tech companies. In particular, Amazon, which has a high proportion of overseas employees of Indian descent, is expected to suffer considerable damage.

According to a report by U.S. business media outlet Business Insider (BI) on January 1 (local time), Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce company, has decided to implement remote work until March after a growing number of employees became stranded overseas due to delays in U.S. visa processing.

In a recent memo sent to employees, Amazon notified staff stranded in India that they would be allowed to work remotely until March. Previously, Amazon permitted employees traveling abroad to renew their visas to work remotely for up to 20 days, but in light of the recent visa processing delays, the company has temporarily extended this period to about three months.

However, employees working remotely from India are not allowed to enter Amazon buildings or participate in contract negotiations and signings. Coding, testing, and similar tasks are also prohibited. As a result, even if remote work is allowed, the actual scope of work for technical staff will be extremely limited. Amazon stated that these restrictions are in accordance with local laws and that no exceptions will be made.

Amazon introduced this temporary policy because U.S. visa processing for foreigners has been delayed since the implementation of social network service (SNS) verification requirements. Among various countries, Bloomberg recently reported that visa processing is especially slow in India, where many employees hold H-1B visas, known as "specialty occupation visas." The H-1B visa is for professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Amazon is one of the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program. According to BI's analysis of data from the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Amazon was approved for a total of 14,783 H-1B visa applications in fiscal year 2024, including 23 cases related to its subsidiary Whole Foods.

Previously, Google, Apple, and MS also recently advised their foreign employees to refrain from leaving the United States due to delays in visa processing. BAL Immigration Law Firm, which serves as external legal counsel for Google, recently recommended that employees avoid traveling abroad due to the risks associated with extended stays outside the U.S.

Apple's advisory firm Fragomen also urged employees without valid visa stamps to avoid overseas travel, and in unavoidable cases, to consult with the immigration team in advance.