US Suspends Microsoft, Adobe From Green Card Program

The U.S. Department of Labor announced Thursday it is suspending Microsoft and Adobe from its Permanent Labor Certification program. The action also bars other companies, including Cognizant, Infosys, Capgemini, Tata, Wipro, and HCL, from having new applications processed.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated the suspension is due to multiple active federal investigations into the companies. He noted that these firms alone have requested nearly 3 million foreign workers since 2009, which Sonderling asserted has displaced American workers.

Vice President JD Vance specifically criticized Microsoft, citing the company's 2025 layoffs of 6,000 employees. Vance claimed the company replaced these workers with individuals on H-1B visas. "We're going to continue to support Microsoft, but we're also going to deny them the ability to apply for these permanent residencies until they show that they are going to get serious about putting American workers first," Vance stated.

Microsoft defended its hiring practices, asserting that "the vast majority of Microsoft employees in the United States are Americans." The company added that 80% of its approximately 6,000 H-1B visa applications in the last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of existing employees.

The suspension announcement was made on the same day President Donald Trump awarded the National Medal of Science to tech leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.