Meta has initiated another major workforce reduction as the company accelerates its artificial intelligence expansion plans, leaving thousands of employees suddenly without jobs and many foreign workers worried about their future in the United States.

According to reports, affected staff members began receiving termination emails in the early hours of Wednesday. The company is believed to have eliminated nearly 8,000 positions globally as part of a broader restructuring exercise focused on AI-driven operations and leaner teams.

The layoffs reportedly impacted employees across multiple regions, with workers first instructed to stay home instead of coming to offices. Soon after, formal notices informed them that their roles had been removed under the company’s latest reorganisation strategy.

Inside the message sent to employees, Meta thanked workers for their contributions but confirmed that access to company systems and office premises would be revoked shortly after notification. Staff already present at offices were reportedly asked to collect their belongings and leave.

The restructuring is part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s aggressive push toward artificial intelligence. Reports indicate Meta is planning massive investments in AI infrastructure and products this year, while simultaneously shifting thousands of remaining employees into AI-focused divisions.

However, one section of the internal memo drew particular attention because it addressed employees working in the US on company-sponsored visas. Meta acknowledged that the situation would be especially difficult for workers whose immigration status depends on their employment with the company.

The company directed affected workers to its Alumni Portal, where they could access immigration-related guidance, contact assigned legal representatives and raise visa-related concerns. However, the communication reportedly did not offer any assurance regarding extensions or additional support for workers struggling to remain in the country after losing employment.

The issue has become increasingly serious for Indian professionals employed in the US technology sector. Under H-1B visa regulations, workers who lose their jobs generally have only 60 days to secure another employer willing to sponsor their visa. Failing that, they may be required to leave the United States.

Immigration experts have noted that many laid-off workers are now attempting to switch temporarily to B-2 visitor visas in order to buy additional time while searching for new jobs. But legal professionals say approvals for such visa conversions are becoming tougher as US authorities seek more documentation and scrutiny.

The broader tech industry has seen continuous job cuts throughout the year. Data from industry trackers suggests that more than one lakh technology employees across multiple firms have already lost jobs in 2026 amid cost-cutting and AI-led restructuring.

Indian nationals remain the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa programme, making them particularly vulnerable during waves of layoffs. Many affected workers have spent years building their lives in America, with families, mortgages and children studying there while also waiting for green cards delayed by long immigration backlogs.

As uncertainty grows, some professionals are now considering alternative options, including relocating to countries such as Canada or exploring other visa pathways like student visas, extraordinary talent visas and intra-company transfer programmes.

The latest developments underline how rapidly AI adoption is reshaping the global tech workforce, with companies prioritising automation, smaller teams and faster operations while employees face mounting concerns over job security and immigration stability.