US suspends Microsoft, major IT firms from key green card programme
US Vice President JD Vance makes an H-1B fraud announcement, flanked by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Labor Secretary Keith E. Sonderling, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Andrew Ferguson and Inspector General for the Department of Labor Anthony P D'Esposito during a press conference on anti-fraud initiatives in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus in Washington, DC, US, October 8, 2026. REUTERS
The US government is suspending Microsoft, Adobe and several large IT firms from a programme that allows skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residency, senior US officials announced on Thursday, citing alleged fraud and an effort to push companies to hire more Americans.
"Our message to Microsoft is: You're a great American company, but you've got to hire great American workers," US Vice President JD Vance said.
Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling added that some of the largest IT firms in the world would also be suspended from the programme, including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini.
"We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies," Sonderling said.
.@VP: "There has been no company in the United States, unfortunately, that has abused this system more than Microsoft."
Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers in 2025 after certifying that it could not find qualified American employees — yet the company was approved for more… https://t.co/xh4ZYUDobZ pic.twitter.com/HGOY63Xwkf— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 8, 2026
Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under the PERM process, employers seek certification from the Department of Labor that there is no qualified, willing or available US worker for a specific job. It is a step required before filing petitions for most employment-based green cards.
Vance also said nine universities, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, would be investigated for allegedly bringing in international students to undercut American wages.
Labor Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito said subpoenas had already been served.
"We will investigate whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research," D'Esposito said.
"If an American university is breaking the law to save $1 while exposing American research to a foreign adversary, that is not academic excellence. It's institutional betrayal."