H-1B Layoffs and Repatriation: Your 30-Day Exit Strategy and Financial Safety Net

The American dream can feel fragile. One day you're building your career in Silicon Valley, and the next, a meeting invite from HR changes everything.

As an H-1B visa holder, you now face what domestic employees don't: a 60-day grace period to find new employment or leave the country. For thousands of Indian professionals in the United States, this scenario has shifted from unlikely to uncomfortably common.

The panic is real. But what if you could replace that panic with a plan? What if you had a financial and logistical safety net that allowed you to make a graceful, cost-effective exit?

This isn't about fearing the worst. It's about being smart enough to prepare for it.

Here is your 30-day exit strategy.

First 72 Hours: Secure Your Foundation, Not Just Your Job

In the immediate aftermath of a layoff, your focus will understandably be on visas, severance, and job applications. But amidst that chaos, a critical financial decision awaits: What do you do with everything you own in the US?

The default, panic-driven response is often to sell everything at a loss—your car, your furniture, your electronics—just to unload them. This is a terrible financial decision. That $3,000 sofa sells for $500; the car you bought last year goes for a fraction of its value.

Your 30-Day Exit Checklist:

The Immediate Financial Triage (Days 1-7)

Your first week is about securing your runway. Every decision should be aimed at preserving cash.

Negotiate Your Severance: Don't just accept the first offer. Politely ask if there's flexibility, especially regarding the duration of health insurance coverage. Even an extra month of US health insurance is a significant financial relief.
Extend Your Health Coverage (COBRA): While expensive, electing for COBRA within the 60-day window is crucial. A medical emergency without insurance in the US can be financially devastating. This gives you a buffer while your transition.
Freeze Non-Essential Spending: Immediately pause all non-essential subscriptions and discretionary spending. Every dollar saved extends your financial runway. Officially notify your immigration lawyer and understand all visa grace period nuances.
Contact Pikkol's USA Desk. This is your single point of contact for all things about logistics. Get a clear understanding of shipping timelines, door-to-door costs, and an approximate estimate of customs duties in India. No surprises.

The Asset & Logistics Strategy (Days 8-21)

This is where you make critical decisions about your physical assets without falling into the "panic-sale" trap.

Categorize your belongings into three piles: Sell, Ship, Store.

This strategic approach, supported by Pikkol's dedicated USA Desk, turns a logistical nightmare into a controlled, cost-effective process.

During a move, is it wiser to sell your items or keep them in storage?

Sell what you should:

Liquidate items that are low-cost to replace or not sentimental.

Ship what you must:

Professionally bring back the things that matter—high-value electronics, professional tools, sentimental items, and family heirlooms with Pikkol hybrid shipping solutions. We handle the custom packing, documentation, and logistics for the items you want to send to your family in India

Store what you'll need later:

If you cannot bring everything with you, you have two practical storage choices:

Short-term US storage: Rent a secure storage unit like Pikkol for the items you may want to retrieve/hold when/if you return
Ship to India for secure storage: If repatriation is the plan, shipping household goods to a trusted storage facility in India (climate-controlled, insured) often makes sense. This avoids paying US storage over months and positions your assets closer to home.

We store your things with our smart storage solutions. With 24/7 surveillance you can request retrieval anytime—whether it's in 3 months or 3 years.

Days 22-30: The Handover & The Transition

Finalise travel plans
If returning to India: Book flights, finalize shipping, close utility accounts, arrange vehicle sale, set up mail forwarding.
If staying: Coordinate with your new employer, arrange housing, transport stored items to new location
Close US bank accounts and settle bills.
Create a transition budget for India.
Initiate wise USD to INR transfers.

Relax, knowing your assets are secure. While others are stressing about a giant shipping container and massive customs bills, you've made smarter choices. You travel light, with your financial safety net intact.

A layoff might feel like an uncontrolled fall, but with this plan, it becomes a managed transition. You protect your savings and your assets.

Your career is global. Your support system should be too. Whether you end up needing these services or not, knowing they're available provides invaluable peace of mind. That's what a true safety net provides: not just solutions for when things go wrong, but confidence that you're prepared for whatever comes next.

Pikkol's dedicated USA Desk specializes in supporting Indian professionals returning from the United States.

Contact us for a free consultation on shipping costs, timelines, customs duty estimates, and Pikkol hybrid shifting and storage solutions tailored to H-1B transitions.

Or visit pikkol.com for international Relocation Services, House Shifting, Storage Solutions or vehicle transport services.