Career Decision Analysis After Layoff: 7 Paths, Decision Criteria, Matrix, Recommendation, and 90-Day Plans

Context

You are a laid-off software engineer deciding among seven paths. Your employment-based green card priority date is May 2023. You are concerned the category might become current while you are studying, complicating a future U.S. return.

Options

1. Pursue U.S. roles and return on H‑1B (assume you are cap-counted already and can transfer, or have time left on an H‑1B to recapture).
2. Prepare for algorithm-heavy interviews to work in mainland China (possible field switch).
3. Search for roles in Hong Kong or Singapore.
4. Pursue a Canadian master’s (aiming for PR).
5. Start a ~5‑year PhD.
6. Join an employer that can sponsor H‑1B (cap-exempt or cap-subject).
7. Switch to F‑1 with Day‑1 CPT.

Task

• Define decision criteria: time to employability, probability of success, immigration risk, financial cost, long-term career upside.
• List data you would gather for each option.
• Construct a weighted decision matrix and score each option.
• State a recommendation with key assumptions.
• Outline a 90‑day action plan for options (1) and (3), including pivot triggers.