Change of status

- H1B 60-day grace period starts on the date of getting notice of layoff from the employer, on the date of the severance paycheck, or on the last date of the regular paycheck?

- During H1B 60-day grace period, what is the best time to apply for B1/B2? When 30 days are left, 15 days are left, etc.?

- H1B is for 6-years of work, or 6-years total? I mean does unemployment time or B1/B2 time etc. also counts in 6-years of H1B?

- After layoff on H1B, if decided to go to school, then how to stay in US until getting admission decision and until school starts, that could take many months.

- After layoff on H1B, what is the better option to choose between B1/B2 and F-1?

I have just 50 days left on my H1B grace period, and I need to get an employer to transfer my H1B, or I will be kicked out of the States. My question is, which of the following paths should I choose?

1) I have a Canadian visitor visa, which is for six months, so can I go to Canada if I don't get a job by the grace period?

2) If I don't get an employer should I shift on B1/B2? If I do, how can I come back on H1B? Is there anything else you suggest to keep my H1B active?

Case: Picked for H1B lottery.

- What happens if the company lays off after June but before October 1? Would I stay on my current visa status? Or will I be on H1B but with a 60-day timeline to find the next job?

- Does the status automatically change to H1B on Oct 1? or does immigration require paystubs for a couple of weeks to prove our employment?

- If I file the petition with two companies separately, how will immigration decide which one to approve? Will they approve both?

- Are there any travel restrictions from June to Sept

Could you analyze the following situation from an H-1B 6-year Max Out perspective (No Approved PERM or I-140)?

1. Employee gets laid off by her H1b employer on November 20.

2. Employee files for H4 COS + EAD through spouse on January 10.

3. Employee gets a new job on April 10 while H4 + EAD is still pending. New employer files for H1b transfer, though no premium processing.

4. H1b transfer gets approved (I-797A with I94 issued) on June 10.

5. Employee works on H1b status based on the approved petition from June 10 to July 10. H4 COS + EAD gets approved on July 10.

My questions are:

1. Does the November 20 - January 10 period (Grace Period) count towards the 6-year H1b Max Out?

2. Does the January 10 - April 10 period (pending H4 COS + EAD) count towards the 6-year H1b Max Out?

3. Does the April 10 - June 10 period (pending H4 COS + EAD and H1b Transfer) count towards the 6-year H1b Max Out?

4. Once the H4 COS + EAD petitions are approved, would the January 10 - July 10 period be counted as "Time Spend in H4 Status" based on the pending petitions that eventually got approved? If not, which period can be claimed as "Time Spend in H4 Status"?

Also, how does USCIS keep track of all this? Is it the responsibility of the employee to make the case to USCIS and claim time as "Spent in H4 Status"?

I entered the country back in 2019 to complete my Masters degree (F1 Visa). I am on an H1-B visa, which was approved last year (10/01/2022 - 10/10/2025). However, I have yet to go to India, so visa stamping is incomplete. I got laid off on December 14, 2023, so I am on my 60-day grace period. Suppose I cannot secure a new role within the 60-day grace period. In that case, I am considering changing my status to a B2 visa to extend my stay and continue looking for an opportunity. However, since my H1 visa is not stamped, will that create an issue filling for a change of status to a B2 visa? And when I land a new job returning from B2 to H1, would that be an issue since the visa won't be stamped either?