Amazon has introduced a temporary remote work arrangement for certain employees stuck in India due to H-1B visa interview delays. The policy applies in India from December 13, 2025, and allows affected staff to continue working until March 2, 2026, as visa processing disruptions persist.
What changed in Amazon policy
Amazon outlined the temporary measure in an internal memo reported by Business Insider. The guidance covers employees who were in India on December 13 and whose visa appointments were postponed after changes to in-person interview schedules. Under the policy, eligible staff may remain employed and work remotely until early March.
The arrangement does not extend beyond March 2, 2026. The company has not outlined alternatives for employees whose visa interviews move past that date. The guidance also does not address employees stranded outside India.
How the Amazon remote work system operates
Amazon placed strict boundaries on permitted activities during the remote period. Employees working from India cannot write code, test software, troubleshoot systems, or engage in product development. They also cannot make strategic decisions or interact directly with customers.
The company barred affected employees from entering Amazon offices or facilities in India. According to the memo, all reviews, approvals, and final decisions must occur outside India to meet compliance and operational requirements.
Impact on Amazon employees and the tech sector
The policy allows Amazon employees to maintain employment while awaiting visa clearance. However, work limitations sharply narrow their scope of contribution. Many core engineering and customer-facing tasks remain off-limits during the period.
The situation reflects broader disruption across the technology sector. Thousands of H-1B holders travelled to India for routine visa stamping and faced extended delays after interview schedules changed.
Supporting context and industry response
The disruption follows adjustments to the US H-1B visa programme under the Trump administration. Consular officials increased scrutiny, including reviews of applicants’ social media activity. These changes led to rescheduled interviews and prolonged processing timelines.
Amazon joins other large technology firms responding to the uncertainty. Earlier, companies such as Google and Microsoft advised some visa-holding employees to limit international travel due to processing risks.
Amazon stated that the temporary policy aims to manage operational continuity while remaining compliant with immigration and regulatory requirements.
