I moved from Peru to the US at 17 on a tennis scholarship. 8 years later, an H-1B layoff sent me home.

Luciana Pereyra, now 25, moved to the US at 17 on a tennis scholarship Provided by Luciana Pereyra Luciana Pereyra moved to the US from Peru at 17 on a tennis scholarship for her undergraduate and MBA degrees. Even after building a life in Columbus, the uncertainty of working on an H-1B visa made it hard to fully relax. Earlier this year, at 25, she lost her job, returned to Peru, and began rebuilding her career. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Luciana Pereyra, a 25-year-old Peruvian national who moved to the US at 17 on a tennis scholarship, lost her H-1B-sponsored job in 2025, and had to return to Peru. It has been edited for length and clarity.