Laid off - H1B to B2 (?) to H1B

[vladm]

I'm currently on an H1B visa (valid till Dec 2009), and I've been just laid off.
To stay legal in this country I want to convert to B2 (visitor).
If I convert to B2, will I lose my H1B forever? (e.g. it cannot be re-instated if I do get a job in 2 months, and I have to re-apply next Apr for the October 2009 quota?)
Or can I re-instate my H1B later on, and not be subject to the quota?
should I just stay in the US and not convert to B2?

Thanks a lot
V

[DMX17]

You will be cap-exempt if you have H1 time left from 6 yrs. This is the 100th time that I have used this phrase in my more than 600 posts.

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