US tech giant Amazon has granted permission to certain US-based employees facing visa delays in India to work remotely until March 2, 2026. This exception to Amazon’s usual office work policy is specifically for employees awaiting rescheduled visa appointments. However, these employees are subject to strict limitations on the tasks they can undertake.
According to an internal memo, employees who were present in India as of December 13 are eligible to continue remote work until the specified date. Nevertheless, they are prohibited from engaging in activities such as coding, testing or troubleshooting software, visiting Amazon offices, negotiating or signing contracts, and managing teams, customers, or partners. The memo emphasizes that all critical decisions and approvals must occur outside India to comply with local regulations.
The delays in visa processing are affecting individuals in various countries due to enhanced social media screening requirements at US missions. Google had previously cautioned employees against international travel due to significant delays in US visa re-entry processing, which can extend up to a year. Notably, India-born workers accounted for over 70% of the approved H1-B visas in 2024, largely attributed to approval backlogs and a substantial number of skilled Indian immigrants.
Elon Musk recently voiced support for the H-1B visa program, highlighting the significant contributions of Indian immigrants to the US economy. Musk emphasized the importance of high-skill workers from India and criticized the misuse of the visa system by certain outsourcing companies.
