US bars Microsoft, Adobe, and major IT firms from green card program for skilled foreign workers

US suspends Microsoft, Adobe from green card program

The United States has suspended Microsoft and Adobe from a visa program that allows skilled foreign workers to apply for permanent residency, known as the green card process. The move was announced by US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday, 8 October 2026.

Vance said the suspension is due to allegations that these companies used the H-1B visa system to replace American workers with foreign employees. He claimed Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers while obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards. He stated: 'You cannot lay off American workers and replace them with foreign indentured servants.'

Microsoft responded by saying that 80% of its H-1B applications in the past year were for extensions or status changes for existing employees. The company said it pays some of the highest wages in the tech sector and that H-1B employees receive the same pay as other employees doing comparable work.

The US labor department also said it will not accept any new or process any pending permanent residency applications from Adobe.

The suspension comes amid broader government pressure on tech firms to hire more American workers. According to Layoffs.fyi, there have been more than 131,000 layoffs in the tech sector in 2026 alone.

The decision follows social media claims of fraud in the H-1B program, which have prompted investigations. No official findings have been released yet.

Microsoft and Adobe have not been charged with any wrongdoing. The suspension does not equate to a conviction or legal finding of guilt.

The White House has not issued a formal explanation of how the decision was made beyond the public statements by Vance.

The move is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to increase domestic hiring and reduce reliance on foreign workers in high-skilled roles.