US suspends Microsoft and Adobe from green card programme for foreign employees
In short
The US has suspended Microsoft's participation in a programme for obtaining green cards for foreign employees on H-1B visas, RBC reported; vc.ru and Habr News said Adobe and other IT companies are also affected. RBC reported that Vice President Vance accused Microsoft of fraud and of replacing laid-off Americans with foreigners.
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The US has suspended Microsoft's participation in a programme for processing green cards for foreign employees holding H-1B visas, RBC reported. According to RBC, Vice President Vance accused the company of fraud and of replacing laid-off Americans with foreigners. vc.ru reported that the US will suspend Microsoft, Adobe and some other large IT companies from the programme, which allows their foreign workers to obtain green cards, citing abuses of the system. [ 1 , 2 ]
Habr News reported that the administration of President Donald Trump decided to stop accepting green card applications for employees of Microsoft, Adobe and a number of other companies that provide outsourced IT services. It added that checks into nine leading universities in the country had also been started. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
According to the reports, the step affects foreign workers at Microsoft, Adobe and other IT companies who seek green cards through the programme. vc.ru attributed the move to abuses of the system, while RBC reported it amid Vance's accusation that Microsoft replaced laid-off Americans with foreigners.
Key facts
- The US suspended Microsoft's participation in a programme for obtaining green cards for foreign employees. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- RBC said the programme concerns foreign employees holding H-1B visas. [ 1 ]
- Adobe and other IT companies are also covered by the suspension, according to vc.ru and Habr News. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Vice President Vance accused Microsoft of fraud and of replacing laid-off Americans with foreigners, RBC reported. [ 1 ]
- vc.ru said the suspension was due to abuses of the system. [ 2 ]
- Habr News reported that the administration of President Donald Trump also started checks into nine leading US universities. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether the suspension has already taken effect. RBC and Habr News describe it as already decided, while the vc.ru headline says the US will suspend participation.
- Which other companies are affected. vc.ru and Habr News mention other companies without naming them.
- Vance's accusation of fraud against Microsoft. Reported only by RBC; no response from Microsoft appears in the documents.
- The checks into nine leading universities. Reported only by Habr News, without details on the universities or the scope of the checks.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- 8 October: RBC reports the suspension of Microsoft's participation and Vance's accusation. [ 1 ]
- 8 October: vc.ru reports that Microsoft, Adobe and other IT companies will be suspended from the programme. [ 2 ]
- 9 October: Habr News reports the Trump administration's decision and the checks into nine universities. [ 3 ]