US suspends Microsoft, Adobe and others from green card sponsorship procedure, Vance says
In short
US Vice President JD Vance said on 8 October that Microsoft and other companies, including Adobe, would be barred from the employer procedure used to obtain US permanent residency for foreign workers. He accused Microsoft of laying off 6,000 Americans in 2025 while hiring 6,300 foreigners on H-1B visas. Microsoft rejected the claim, saying most of its US employees are Americans.
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US Vice President JD Vance announced on 8 October that the administration would suspend Microsoft's use of the programme through which highly skilled foreign workers obtain US permanent residency (green cards), accusing the company of abusing it to take jobs from Americans, Japanese outlets reported. Yomiuri said the step was presented as protecting Americans' jobs. NHK reported the Trump administration would stop accepting the employer-side procedure needed for foreign employees of Microsoft and other companies to obtain permanent residency. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Gigazine reported the measure, announced at a White House press conference with Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, covers eight companies: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. Nikkei named Adobe, Infosys and Tata among those covered, and Jiji referred to Microsoft, Adobe and some other companies. The step blocks the companies from the PERM labour certification; the Labor Department will not accept or process their new applications, and the H-1B visa itself is not suspended, Gigazine reported. Nikkei said Vance stated the suspension would last until the companies show improvement. [ 1 , 5 , 6 ]
Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 Americans in 2025 while hiring 6,300 foreigners on H-1B visas, and obtained green cards for nearly 3,000 foreigners, according to Nikkei and Yomiuri; TBS and Jiji gave the figure as 3,000. Nikkei quoted him as saying Microsoft replaced each laid-off worker with 1.5 'indentured servants' and that 'we have tolerated this shameful system for too long.' He also said firing American workers and replacing them with foreign contract workers was not acceptable, and, according to Jiji, that no company had abused the system more than Microsoft. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Vance also said some companies placed job advertisements in small local newspapers to show no qualified Americans applied. Gigazine reported Sonderling said the companies had sought about 3 million foreign workers since 2009, and cited multiple ongoing federal investigations into Microsoft and Adobe as grounds for the suspension. [ 1 , 6 ]
Microsoft said most of its US employees are Americans and that it applies for visas only for workers who meet strict requirements. It said 80% of its H-1B applications in the last fiscal year were extensions or status changes for existing employees and the rest were for people already in the US. Nikkei reported Microsoft said it would provide more information to the government. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
Vance further said nine universities, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, would be investigated over suspected fraud involving J-1 visas used by foreign researchers. Nikkei noted the administration proposed a $103,265 fee on H-1B applications in late August and the Department of Homeland Security proposed a $70,000 fee for OPT work permits on 7 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The measure cuts the named companies off from the PERM labour certification that employers file to sponsor foreign employees for green cards, though Gigazine reported the H-1B visa itself is not suspended. Nikkei reported it is one of several Trump administration steps targeting H-1B and student work permits, including proposed fees of $103,265 per H-1B application and $70,000 for OPT work permits.
Key facts
- Vance announced on 8 October that Microsoft's use of the programme through which skilled foreign workers obtain US green cards would be suspended. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Gigazine reported eight companies are covered: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. [ 6 ]
- The measure blocks the companies from the PERM labour certification; the Labor Department will not accept or process their new applications, Gigazine reported. [ 1 , 6 ]
- Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 Americans in 2025 while hiring 6,300 foreigners on H-1B visas and obtaining green cards for about 3,000 foreigners. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Microsoft said most of its US employees are Americans and that 80% of its H-1B applications in fiscal 2025 were extensions or status changes for existing employees. [ 1 , 2 , 6 ]
- Vance also said nine universities, including Harvard, would be investigated over suspected fraud involving visas used by foreign researchers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Vance announced on 8 October the suspension of Microsoft's use of the green card procedure for foreign workers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Adobe is among the other companies covered by the suspension. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 ]
- Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 Americans in 2025 while hiring 6,300 foreigners on H-1B visas. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- Vance said 'we have tolerated this shameful system for too long'. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Microsoft responded that most of its US employees are Americans. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Microsoft said 80% of its H-1B applications in the last fiscal year were extensions or changes of status for existing employees. [ 1 , 6 ]
- Vance said nine universities including Harvard would be investigated over suspected visa fraud. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- How many companies are covered. Gigazine lists eight companies; Nikkei names Adobe, Infosys and Tata alongside Microsoft; Jiji refers only to Microsoft, Adobe and some other companies.
- How many green cards Microsoft obtained for foreign workers. Nikkei and Yomiuri report Vance cited nearly 3,000; TBS and Jiji say 3,000; Gigazine says about 3,000.
- How many H-1B visas Microsoft sought. Vance cited 6,300 H-1B hires, while Gigazine reported Microsoft said it filed about 6,000 H-1B applications in the last fiscal year, mostly for existing staff.
- How long the suspension will last. Only Nikkei reports Vance said it will continue until the companies show improvement.
- Grounds cited by the Labor Department. Only Gigazine reports Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling cited multiple ongoing federal investigations into Microsoft and Adobe.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Nikkei reports Vance's announcement of the suspension for Microsoft and others (9 October, Japan time). [ 1 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports Vance's remarks and Microsoft's rebuttal. [ 2 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun reports the suspension. [ 3 ]
- NHK reports the Trump administration is halting the procedure for Microsoft and other companies. [ 4 ]
- Jiji Press reports the suspension covers Microsoft, Adobe and some other companies. [ 5 ]
- Gigazine reports eight companies are covered. [ 6 ]