US bars Microsoft, Adobe, and major IT firms from green card program for skilled foreign workers

Green card sponsorships for key tech talent will become significantly harder to secure for several major IT employers.

The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and several other major IT firms, including Capgemini, Cognizant, HCL, Infosys, Tata, and Wipro, from a program that facilitates skilled foreign workers' path to U.S. permanent residency. Vice President JD Vance stated the government expects these companies to hire American workers. The Secretary of Labor confirmed that no new or pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies will be accepted. This action stems from allegations of fraud within the program, which is primarily used by tech companies to fill highly skilled positions. Microsoft stated that the vast majority of its U.S. employees are Americans and that most of its H-1B filings are for existing employees, not new hires.

This move by the U.S. government signals a potential hardening of immigration policies specifically targeting the tech sector's reliance on foreign talent for skilled roles. By barring prominent companies from the green card program, the administration is applying direct pressure to prioritize domestic hiring, which could reshape recruitment strategies and talent acquisition pipelines within these organizations. It also indicates a willingness to use regulatory power to enforce hiring preferences, potentially setting a precedent for future immigration-related enforcement actions.

The impact extends beyond the barred companies, potentially affecting the broader availability of skilled labor within the U.S. tech industry. Companies that rely heavily on foreign-born talent for specialized roles may need to accelerate investments in domestic training programs or explore alternative global talent pools. This could lead to increased competition for U.S.-based skilled workers and potentially higher labor costs for employers, while also creating uncertainty for foreign nationals already in the U.S. on temporary work visas seeking long-term residency.