If you work in the United States on a temporary work visa, today — Tuesday, November 10, 2026 — is the last day to speak up officially before the government closes public comments on a proposal that could change your life if you lose your job.
What is happening?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) propose eliminating what is known as the discretionary 60-day grace period. Under the current rule, at 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2), a worker whose employment ends before their authorized stay expires is not considered to have failed to maintain status solely for stopping work, for up to 60 consecutive days or until the end of the authorized validity period — whichever is shorter. During that window, many workers find a new employer to file for them, or change status, without their family's life collapsing overnight.
Who is covered by the proposal?
Workers in the E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 and TN classifications, and their dependents. DHS estimates that about 3,795 workers a year have new-employer petitions filed for them within that 60-day period, by its stated methodology.
What would happen if the proposal is adopted?
The grace-period provision would be deleted from the regulations, and — in the proposal's own terms — a worker would be required to depart the United States immediately when the employment behind their status ends, unless they have another lawful basis to remain. DHS says this ties status directly to the job and reduces administrative burden, while commenters warn that ending the period could speed up departures of skilled workers, interrupt job searches, and upend families' housing and children's schooling.
The key point: this is NOT law yet
The 60-day grace period is still fully in force today. Today is only the last day for public comment, and tonight's deadline does not make the proposal take effect tomorrow. DHS must review the comments and may issue a final rule, revise the proposal, or take no action — and any final rule would have its own text and effective date.
How to comment before midnight
- Go to Regulations.gov and search the official docket number: USCIS-2026-0364.
- Read the proposal as published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2026 (91 FR 57807).
- Write your comment in English, or include an English translation, name the agency and docket number, and explain with specific facts and numbers how the proposal would affect you, your family, or your employer.
- Caution: submitted comments generally become a public record, so do not include sensitive personal information you do not need to share. A comment is not a visa petition and does not extend your stay.
Deadline: before midnight Eastern Time tonight, Tuesday, November 10, 2026 — that is 9 p.m. California time.
One more date nearby: comments on a separate proposal to end deference to prior approvals on extension filings close on November 13 (Docket USCIS-2026-0529).
This report is general information, not legal advice. If your job has ended or may end soon, consult a qualified immigration attorney promptly — do not assume the full 60 days are guaranteed in your case, and do not assume the repeal has already happened.
Sources: U.S. Federal Register, September 11, 2026, 91 FR 57807, Docket USCIS-2026-0364; Miss Immigrant USA, November 5, 2026 (updated November 9); Immigration Analytics, November 2, 2026.
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