H-1B disruption | Amazon adapts remote working rules as visa delays strand staff

Amazon is allowing certain employees stranded in India to work remotely until early March as visa processing delays complicate international mobility for US-based staff.

According to an internal memo viewed by Business Insider, employees who were in India as of December 13 and are waiting for rescheduled visa appointments may work remotely through March 2. The accommodation applies only to a defined group of workers affected by delays tied to the H-1B visa program.

The memo outlines strict boundaries on permitted work. Employees approved for temporary remote work are barred from coding, making strategic business decisions, or engaging with customers. Amazon said the restrictions are required to ensure compliance with local laws, adding that no exceptions will be granted.

The company did not address how it will handle cases where visa appointments extend beyond the March 2 deadline or situations involving employees stranded in countries other than India.