From H-1B Lottery Luck to Forced Return: One Immigrant’s Costly Exit
An Indian professional who secured an H-1B visa with Amazon was laid off in 2025 and had only 60 days to leave the United States, incurring roughly $18,000 in relocation costs.
Raised in Kolkata, the individual moved to Spokane in 2013 on an F-1 visa, completed an MBA and a second master’s in organizational leadership, and held roles at US Bank, a genetic-testing startup, and Neogen, which secured her H-1B visa in the 2021 lottery. Amazon later acquired her sponsorship, and she relocated to Seattle. In 2025, Amazon laid her off, and she was given a 60-day period to depart the country.
Unable to find new employment, she spent roughly $5,000 on international pet paperwork, $6,000 to break her lease, and additional fees for flights and agents, amounting to an estimated $18,000. After returning to India, she launched a pet-sitting brand inspired by her own challenges and now weighs future options, citing immigration uncertainty and broader political climate.
Why it matters
The story highlights how U.S. immigration and employment policies can abruptly upend the lives of skilled foreign workers.
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