IBM Ends Most US Foreign Worker Sponsorships in Major Division

United States technology giant IBM has chosen to discontinue sponsoring foreign worker visas and green cards for the majority of positions in its primary division. A company representative stated to Reuters that its consultancy branch decided to halt sponsorship for most job roles.

The organization noted that its involvement in American high-skilled visa initiatives has decreased over several years, explaining that the choice occurred as skill availability and client requirements shifted. IBM Consulting accounts for over 150,000 workers out of the total global workforce of 264,300 employees.

Over recent periods, IBM has reduced its reliance on H-1B visas for highly skilled international personnel. Data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services indicates that only 1,611 H-1B petitions received approval for the firm during fiscal year 2026.

Pressures on H-1B Visas

This development transpires while the Trump administration exerts mounting pressure on major corporations to scale down their foreign workforces in the United States. President Donald Trump has asserted that the visa framework frequently suffers from fraud and diverts employment opportunities from domestic professionals toward immigrants.

During the previous year, the administration introduced a mandatory one-time fee of $100,000 for newly submitted H-1B petitions. In October, authorities temporarily barred several technology enterprises from a pathway allowing H-1B visa holders to apply for green cards, citing efforts to combat fraud and protect domestic employees from layoffs.

The affected entities encompassed Adobe alongside prominent H-1B sponsors such as Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, and Microsoft. These suspensions emerged shortly after Trump presented Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation alongside five other prominent business leaders.

IBM ends foreign worker visa and green card sponsorships for most roles in its main consultancy division.

Why it matters

The decision by IBM marks a significant shift in corporate staffing strategies amid heightened government scrutiny of high-skilled immigration programmes. By scaling back participation in visa schemes, the technology company adapts to evolving client demands and changing federal policies regarding foreign professionals in the United States.