Amazon makes rare exception for employees stuck in India due to H-1B visa delay; allows them to do what CEO Andy Jassy had 'stopped' since January 2025

Amazon is allowing employees stranded in India due to visa processing delays to work remotely until early March, marking a rare exception to CEO Andy Jassy's strict five-day return-to-office policy that took effect in January 2025. The company informed affected workers through an internal memo that those in India as of December 13 and awaiting rescheduled visa appointments can work remotely until March 2, according to Business Insider, which obtained the document. However, the arrangement comes with significant restrictions: employees cannot code, make strategic decisions, or interact with customers.

The move highlights how the Trump administration's rapid changes to the H-1B visa program are forcing major tech companies to adapt their policies. New requirements mandating consular officers to review visa applicants' social media posts before approval have created substantial processing delays, with some US embassies and consulates rescheduling appointments as far out as 2027.

Amazon has strict limitations on employees' remote work arrangement

The temporary remote work permission includes extensive constraints that limit what employees can actually accomplish. Workers are barred from any coding activities, including troubleshooting and testing, and cannot work from or visit Amazon buildings. They also cannot negotiate contracts, make hiring decisions, or perform activities related to managing customer, partner, or vendor relationships.

"All reviews, final decision making, and sign offs should be undertaken outside India," the memo states, adding that "in compliance with local laws, there are no exceptions to these restrictions."

For technical employees whose roles center on coding and development, the limitations raise questions about productivity. One Amazon software engineer told Business Insider that 70-80% of their job involves coding, testing, deploying, and documentation—all prohibited under the remote work terms.

Amazon among largest H-1B program users facing delays

The visa delays pose particular challenges for Amazon, which filed 14,783 certified H-1B applications during the 2024 fiscal year, making it among the largest users of the program. The situation has prompted Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other tech companies to issue travel advisories warning US employees with visas to avoid international travel.

Amazon's normal policy allows employees traveling abroad for visa renewals to work remotely for up to 20 business days, but the memo doesn't address employees whose appointments extend beyond March 2 or those stranded in other countries.