A global wave of layoffs is sweeping across major industries at a visible speed.
Advertising giants are restructuring, tech companies are downsizing, and hardware firms are contracting—over the past few weeks, some of the world's most influential multinational groups have simultaneously pressed the “layoff accelerator.” In a short period, thousands of positions have been removed from organizational structures, and the “sense of stability” in various industries has been rapidly shattered.
Recently, several U.S. giants have announced intensive layoff plans, involving adjustments to thousands or even tens of thousands of positions, covering key sectors such as advertising, technology, hardware, and sales:
U.S. advertising giant Omnicom acquires IPG, laying off 4,000 employees
Following Omnicom's $9 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG), the combined layoff scale for both parties is approximately 4,000 people, accounting for about 3% of the total post-merger workforce. Prior to the transaction, the two companies had already laid off 3,000 and 3,200 employees respectively.
HP announces future layoff of 5,000 employees
HP has announced that it will cut more than 10% of its workforce over the next three years, with an estimated 5,000 positions affected. Meanwhile, the U.S. labor market is experiencing a new round of uncertainty. According to relevant surveys, the scale of layoffs in the tech industry has been growing for months in 2025, with many industries reducing middle management and administrative positions. Analysts believe that HP's move may trigger a chain reaction, and other tech companies dependent on hardware sales may follow suit with similar structural adjustments.
Apple, typically cautious with layoffs, also begins team adjustments
Apple confirmed the restructuring of its large enterprise sales department before Thanksgiving, including sales teams targeting schools, governments, and large institutions. According to media reports, the process of notifying these position changes has been ongoing for several weeks. Apple did not disclose the specific number of affected employees, characterizing it only as being in the “dozens.” Apple also emphasized that despite the elimination of some positions, the company is still hiring, and affected employees can apply for other internal roles. Additionally, reports indicate that laid-off employees who do not find new positions by January 20, 2026, will be eligible for severance pay.
The three incidents mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg. Multiple reports show that since the beginning of 2025, hundreds of companies worldwide have announced layoffs, and the trend is spreading from the tech industry to broader fields such as media, retail, and manufacturing. A cross-industry, cross-regional “contraction cycle” is taking shape.
H-1B holders face unprecedented status pressure
In such an environment, one of the groups most directly facing risk is the large number of foreign nationals holding H-1B work visas. For them, the impact of layoffs is far more than just an interruption of income.
Once an employer is lost, the H-1B status immediately enters a countdown. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations, H-1B holders have only a 60-day grace period after being laid off. During this period, they must find a new employer to complete a status transfer; otherwise, they must leave the country.
At a time when layoffs are concentrated, the already competitive job market has become even more severe. Many companies have suspended hiring due to organizational contraction, and the reduction in middle and senior management positions is significant. The practical pressures faced by H-1B holders are:
• Insufficient time, as the recruitment process often takes weeks or even months;
• Fewer positions available, while the number of competitors has surged;
• Companies may not be willing to bear the costs of H-1B transfer and subsequent expenses;
• If the status conversion cannot be completed within 60 days, they will be forced to leave the country.
This means that a career trajectory that was originally developing steadily can be completely interrupted by a single layoff announcement.
Because of this, more and more foreign professionals have begun to rethink their long-term planning over the past two years: it cannot rely solely on a job, nor can it rely solely on an employer. What truly provides initiative is a status that can exist independently of an employer.
Among the many status paths, EB-5 investment immigration is becoming the “underlying safety option” for more and more professionals during turbulent times due to its stability and autonomy.
EB-5 becomes a status planning option for more people
Compared to the H-1B characteristic of having to rely on an employer, the advantages of EB-5 are even more prominent in the current environment:
• Independent status, unaffected by employers: After obtaining a Green Card, whether you are laid off, change jobs, or switch industries, it will not affect the stability of your status.
• Greater freedom in career choices: You can freely enter different fields to work, start a business, change careers, or pursue professional paths not restricted by visas.
• Family benefits simultaneously: Spouses and children can obtain status at the same time, no longer restricted by student visas, work status, or age.
• The best “bottom-line strategy” to cope with economic cycles: Reduce reliance on employers during economic contraction, and seize more flexible career opportunities during economic upturns.
In other words, against the backdrop of rising uncertainty, EB-5 is no longer just an “immigration plan,” but a way to build a stable and controllable long-term path for yourself and your family.
What is even more worth noting now is that the new EB-5 law has brought an unprecedented window of opportunity. Under the new EB-5 law, rural EB-5 projects are exempt from visa backlogs and have priority processing advantages; the “concurrent filing” policy allows applicants in the U.S. to file Form I-526E and Form I-485 simultaneously, allowing them to obtain a Combo card in about 3 months, quickly achieving legal residency and employment eligibility. Now is the critical window to plan for U.S. status and seize the opportunity.
WorldWay holds two high-quality rural EB-5 projects, further helping investors achieve U.S. status planning securely, without backlogs, and efficiently, quickly embarking on a new life in the United States. Global quotas are limited, seats are scarce, first come, first served!
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