How many days of Washington ESD unemployment benefits available for work visa holders?

Your work authorization status doesn't change the standard Washington ESD benefit duration - you can still get up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment insurance if you meet the monetary requirements. The 60-day grace period is separate from your UI eligibility.

I was in the same boat last year. The tricky part isn't the benefit duration, it's proving you're able and available for work while also dealing with visa restrictions. Make sure you can demonstrate you're actively job searching.

Just went through this nightmare trying to get through to Washington ESD to clarify my eligibility. Spent weeks calling and getting nowhere until someone told me about claimyr.com - they actually got me connected to an agent who explained everything clearly. Worth checking out their demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ if you're having trouble reaching anyone.

WAIT - are you sure you're even eligible?? I thought work visa holders couldn't get unemployment benefits at all. This seems fishy to me.

The 26 weeks is standard, but keep in mind you need to meet the monetary qualifications based on your wages over the past year. Since you've been working for 3 years, you should be fine, but double-check your base year earnings meet the minimum requirements.

been there done that, visa situation makes everything 10x more stressful but the unemployment part is actually straightforward once you get past the initial confusion

One important thing to remember - you still need to meet all the standard Washington ESD requirements like job search activities and being able/available for work. Your visa status doesn't exempt you from these requirements.

My friend had this exact situation and ended up in adjudication for weeks because they couldn't verify his work authorization status. Make sure all your documentation is current and easily accessible.

The good news is that Washington ESD is generally pretty experienced with work visa holders since we have so many tech workers here. They know the drill better than some other states.

Just want to echo what others said about Claimyr - I used them when I couldn't get through to resolve an issue with my weekly claim certification. Definitely made the process less frustrating than spending hours on hold.

Whatever you do, don't delay filing your initial claim while you figure out the visa stuff. You can always provide additional documentation later, but you can't backdate benefits if you wait too long to apply.

This whole thread is making me realize I might have been eligible when I got laid off last year but never applied because I thought visa holders couldn't get benefits. Ugh, missed opportunity.

Pro tip: when you're doing your job search activities, focus on positions that would sponsor your H1B transfer. That way you're meeting Washington ESD requirements while also addressing your visa timeline.

I remember being so overwhelmed by this situation. The visa clock ticking down while trying to navigate unemployment benefits felt impossible. But it's really not as complicated as it seems at first.

One more thing about Claimyr - if you do end up needing to speak with Washington ESD about anything specific to your visa situation, they can help you get through to someone who actually knows immigration-related eligibility rules instead of getting transferred around.

The most important thing is to be honest and upfront about your work authorization status when you file. Washington ESD would rather help you get it right from the start than deal with overpayment issues later.

hope this works out for you! the combination of job hunting pressure plus visa timeline plus figuring out benefits is rough but you'll get through it

Final summary for you: 26 weeks maximum duration, same as any other claimant. Focus on meeting work search requirements, keep your documentation current, and file your weekly claims on time. Your visa status doesn't disqualify you from Washington ESD benefits if you've been paying in.