Google carried out layoffs in its Cloud division this week as part of its larger aim to become a faster and more efficient organization. The number of employees affected by the latest round of layoffs is not immediately clear, but several people took to LinkedIn to share that their roles had been made redundant.
Among them was a woman on an O-1 visa who had been hired by Google just six months ago. She had earlier worked at Meta and Apple.
What is an O-1 visa?
An O-1 is a type of nonimmigrant visa granted by the United States to individuals of “extraordinary ability” in a certain field. Unlike an H-1B visa holder that can work in any degree-requiring specialty occupation with their sponsoring employer, an O-1 visa is reserved for people at the very top of their chosen field.
60 days to find work
In a post shared on LinkedIn, the woman affected by Google’s latest round of layoffs said she had 60 days to find her next opportunity or leave the United States. She had joined the firm just six months ago.
“I was unfortunately part of the Google Cloud layoffs yesterday, and it’s sad to be saying goodbye after only 6 months joining a great team. It’s tough knowing many talented colleagues are in the same boat,” she said.
“To add more to the challenge, I’m on an O-1 visa, so I have about 60 days to find my next opportunity before I have to make a rather significant international move…” the woman added.
She explained that at Google, her work was related to Quantitative UXR on Cloud Generative AI & Security. Before that, she was with Meta, where she worked on GenAI modeling, among other things.
“After I take a moment to absorb this, I’ll be actively seeking roles where I can translate complex data into actionable business insights and help shape the future of human-centered technology. Any leads, connections or just conversations would be appreciated!” she concluded.
Layoffs at Google
According to a Business Insider report, the layoffs affected employees working in user experience roles, including those involved in design and UX research. Employees were told about the layoffs through email on Monday.