US suspends green card filings at Microsoft and other tech firms, probes nine universities

The US federal government said on October 8 that it will suspend Microsoft and several other technology companies from the "permanent labor certification" programme, Xinhua reported. The programme is the first step for foreign employees holding H-1B visas to apply for permanent residence, or a green card, through their employers. China News Service, citing US media, reported that the suspension covers new and pending applications from eight technology companies, including Microsoft and Adobe. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]

Vice President Vance announced the decision on Microsoft at a press conference at the White House, Xinhua reported. He said the company had engaged in "fraud" and must hire good American workers, adding that companies cannot fire American workers and replace them with foreign workers in unstable conditions. China News Service reported that Vance accused Microsoft of "abusing the visa system" and "prioritising foreign employees over American employees", and quoted him as saying: "You are a great American company, but you must hire good American workers." Vance said the measure would last "as long as necessary". [ 6 , 8 ]

The US Labor Secretary said large technology companies including Adobe, Cognizant and Infosys would be suspended from the programme, and that the department would no longer accept or process any new or pending permanent labor certification applications involving them, according to Xinhua. [ 6 , 8 ]

Vance also criticised nine universities for misusing the J-1 visa, which allows foreign students and scholars to come to the US for work and study exchange programmes. He said MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, the University of Pittsburgh, UC Davis, Caltech and Arizona State University were suspected of J-1 visa fraud and would face further investigation. Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito said subpoenas had been served on the nine universities. [ 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]

A Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement that the company would give the Trump administration more information on the immigration status of its employees. Of the roughly 6,000 H-1B applications Microsoft filed in its last fiscal year, 80% were to extend or change the status of existing employees and were not for hiring new staff, the spokesperson said, according to China News Service. [ 8 ]

Xinhua noted that the US government has been tightening visa policy. On August 24 the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule to charge about $103,000 for H-1B visa applications, after an earlier attempt to raise the fee to $100,000 was rejected by a court. On October 7 the department proposed that US universities pay $70,000 for each international student's first application to the Optional Practical Training programme, and a further $30,000 for an extension. [ 6 ]