You have been given an employment visa to come work in the United States. Your skills are in high demand, so you were offered a job before you even immigrated. You used that job offer and the support of your future employer to get an H1B visa that authorizes you to stay in the country while you are working at that job.
But this means that your employment status is very important. It is the reason your visa was approved. If you lose your job, such as if the company does mass layoffs or if you get fired over performance-related issues, then what happens to your immigration status? Do you need to leave the country, or do you risk violating your visa and being deported?
Your options moving forward
Yes, losing your job does violate the terms of the visa, but that does not mean you are immediately going to be sent out of the country. You do have some options.
To start with, the H1B visa has a grace period of 60 days. Other common employment visas may also give you a grace period that runs up to 60 days.
During this time, you may be able to adjust your status. You could seek a different type of visa, for instance, or you could work on getting a green card and becoming a permanent resident.
On top of that, you may be able to find other employment. The skills that got you your initial job are still in high demand. If you find another job that satisfies the visa requirements, then you do not even need to adjust your status.
The legal process
This helps to show why that 60-day grace period is very important. It is crucial that you act quickly if you lose your job and that you understand all of the legal options at your disposal.