Government blocks Microsoft from green card program over allegations of worker replacement
The administration has suspended the company from a visa program citing abuse of hiring rules.
9 Oct 2026
The White House has stopped Microsoft Corp from using a federal system for green card applications. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling made the announcement during a press conference on Thursday.
Vice President JD Vance led the criticism against the technology company. He claimed the firm placed job advertisements in small town newspapers to avoid American applicants.
Vance said the lack of local responses allowed the business to hire foreign workers instead of citizens. He stated Microsoft cut 6,000 American jobs in the last year while securing over 6,200 visas.
The administration claims job ads were hidden while the company insists they followed standard rules.
Microsoft denies these allegations in its public statement. The company says American workers make up the overwhelming share of its domestic staff. It adds that most visa applications were for extending existing employees rather than hiring new arrivals.
The program requires employers to prove they cannot find qualified American workers before sponsoring foreign visas. H-1B visas provide temporary work status while green cards grant permanent residency rights later.
The suspension also affects Adobe Inc. and major outsourcing firms including Cognizant, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services. Several other global technology groups like Wipro and HCL Technologies received similar bans.
These companies were told they cannot participate in the program while federal investigations continue. This decision comes just hours before President Trump honored Satya Nadella with a National Medal.
Vance also revealed plans to investigate nine universities regarding student exchange visas. Harvard, Yale, and Stanford are among the schools facing scrutiny from the federal government.
An analyst noted that talent immigration is a major challenge for North American tech companies. He warned that restrictions might harm leadership in key technology areas without clear enforcement rules.