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United States Suspends Microsoft and Adobe from Visa Programme Amid Fraud Allegations

🇺🇸 United StatesEmployer Sponsorship1 recorded versionLast change 9 Oct 2026
ConfidenceVery high · 100%

Current rules

The United States government is suspending specific tech companies from a programme that offers a pathway to permanent residency for skilled foreign workers, known as green cards. This suspension affects major tech firms including Adobe, Microsoft, Indian tech giants Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services. Its practical effect would depend on the scope of the suspension, including whether it covers new applications, pending applications, applications submitted through agents or attorneys, ad particular subsidiaries or affiliated entities. Those details cannot safely be inferred from media reports alone. The formal government instrument is needed to establish the legal authority used, the exact companies and entities covered, the start date, the duration, any exceptions and the available review or appeal procedures.

Overview

The United States government has initiated the suspension of prominent technology firms, including Microsoft and Adobe, from a visa programme that facilitates permanent residency for skilled foreign workers. This measure, announced by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, stems from claims of visa fraud and aims to prioritise American employment. Concurrently, an investigation has commenced into alleged J-1 visa fraud involving several universities accused of undercutting US wages by employing international students. The policy came into effect immediately following the announcement on 8 October 2026, impacting the ability of these entities to utilise specific visa categories for foreign labour.

Who is affected by the latest change

  • Microsoft (as an employer)
  • Adobe (as an employer)
  • Infosys (as an employer)
  • Tata Consultancy Services (as an employer)
  • Other major information technology firms suspended from the programme (unspecified)
  • Universities allegedly exploiting J-1 visa holders (including MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal State)

What changed in the latest version

Before

Before this announcement, companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, and universities such as MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Cal State, could fully take part in the H-1B visa programme, the green card pathway for skilled foreign workers, and the J-1 visa programme for educational and cultural exchanges. These organisations could sponsor H-1B visas and green cards for skilled foreign workers and use J-1 visas for international students and scholars. They did not face specific suspensions or active federal government investigations into widespread fraud claims. The general rules for these visa programmes applied to all eligible employers and institutions.

After

The United States government is suspending specific technology companies from a programme that offers skilled foreign workers a route to permanent residency, known as green cards. This suspension affects major tech firms, including Adobe, Microsoft, and Indian tech giants Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services. The practical effect of this would depend on how broad the suspension is. This includes whether it covers new applications, applications that are already being processed, applications sent through agents or lawyers, or particular subsidiaries or related companies. These details cannot be reliably understood from media reports alone. The formal government document is needed to find out the legal power used, the exact companies and entities involved, when it started, how long it will last, any exceptions, and the available ways to review or appeal the decision.

This policy change significantly restricts the ability of specified multinational technology companies, including Microsoft and Adobe, along with Indian tech giants Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, to sponsor skilled foreign workers for permanent residency in the US. For these companies, this means a reduced pipeline for retaining their international talent through permanent residency pathways, potentially affecting workforce planning and retention strategies. For their foreign national employees, it introduces uncertainty and likely delays or prevents access to permanent residency. Furthermore, the enhanced scrutiny on J-1 visa programmes, particularly concerning universities, indicates a broader shift towards tighter enforcement across various non-immigrant visa categories. Universities now face investigations into their use of J-1 visas for international PhD candidates and scholars, with allegations that these visas are being used to undercut the wages of US workers, which could lead to substantial changes in how academic institutions engage international talent and research staff.

Explained simply

Imagine you have a club, and some members are supposed to follow specific rules for who they invite. Now, the club's leaders are saying that some big companies and schools broke these rules by inviting too many people from abroad, or by using their invites to pay them less than local workers. So, the leaders have temporarily stopped these companies and schools from inviting more people, and they're investigating them. This means those companies and schools have to be more careful about who they bring in, and the people who were hoping to join through them might have to find other ways.

Frequently asked

Version history

  1. v1Effective 8 Oct 2026EffectiveHigh impact
    United States Suspends Major Technology Companies from PERM Green-Card Programme Amid Immigration Enforcement Action

    The United States government has suspended several major technology companies, including Adobe, Microsoft, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services, from a programme that provides skilled foreign workers with a pathway to permanent residency, often referred to as green cards. This action, announced by US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Labour Keith Sonderling on 8 October 2026, stems from allegations of fraud within visa programmes. Concurrently, a crackdown on J-1 visa fraud targeting nine universities, such as MIT and Harvard, was also announced.

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