Elon Musk’s Tesla has reportedly laid off nearly 16,000 employees, accounting for over 10% of its global workforce. The mass layoffs have particularly impacted many Indian and Chinese employees who are now facing the pressure of the H-1B visa deadline, which requires them to secure new employment within 60 days to maintain their legal status in the United States.
The H-1B visa is a popular non-immigrant work visa among immigrant engineers, allowing them to work in the U.S. for specific employers. With the sudden layoffs, many affected workers are sharing their experiences online, with LinkedIn becoming a platform for them to seek new job opportunities.
One such employee, an engineer from Mumbai, shared his story on LinkedIn, expressing disbelief and disappointment. He had worked at Tesla’s U.S. office for over six years and described the layoff as “feeling like a bad dream.” In his post, he reflected on the dedication and sacrifices he made during his tenure at the company.
Another LinkedIn post shared the story of an Indian employee who worked at Tesla for seven years. According to her brother, she discovered she was laid off when her access card was deactivated upon trying to enter the office. The post mentioned that Tesla had laid off 16,000 employees on April 15th, followed by an additional 500 layoffs just 15 days later.
The layoffs have sent shockwaves through Tesla’s workforce, leaving many, particularly those on H-1B visas, in a precarious situation as they scramble to find new employment within the tight visa deadline.
