Amazon allows visa workers stranded in India to work remotely with restrictions. Here's what they can't do.

"Amazon is allowing employees who arestranded in India because of visa delays to work remotely there until early March, according to an internal memo viewed by Business Insider. The catch: They're not allowed to code, make strategic decisions, or interact with customers. Amazon is one of many American companies scrambling to adapt to the Trump administration's rapid-fire changes to the H-1B visa program, including a mandate that consular officers must review visa applicants' social media posts before issuing visas."

"The delays have prompted Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other companies to issue travel advisories in recent weeks, warning US employees with visas to avoid international travel to prevent extended stays outside the US. Amazon allows employees traveling abroad for visa renewals to work remotely for up to 20 business days, an exemption from the normal requirement that they work in their office five days a week."

"The permission to work remotely comes with a long list of constraints. Employees working remotely from India are barred from coding of any kind, including troubleshooting and testing. They cannot work from or visit Amazon buildings. And they cannot negotiate or sign contracts. "All reviews, final decision making, and sign offs should be undertaken outside India," the memo says."

Employees stranded in India because of H-1B visa processing delays may work remotely from India until March 2 if they were there as of December 13 and await a rescheduled appointment. The policy is an exception to Amazon's usual five-day in-office requirement and extends the standard 20-business-day remote allowance for visa renewals. Remote work from India carries strict limits: no coding, troubleshooting, testing, visits to Amazon buildings, contract negotiations, or signings. All reviews, final decision-making, and sign-offs must occur outside India. The visa delays follow expanded consular screening and have prompted travel advisories from other tech companies.

Read at Business Insider