Vice-President JD Vance announced that Microsoft has been suspended from applying for green cards for workers employed through the H-1B visa program, and said Adobe is also barred from the program.
Key facts
- JD Vance announced the suspension on Thursday.
- Microsoft is barred from applying for permanent residency for workers under the H-1B visa program.
- Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the H-1B system.
- Vance said Adobe is also barred from the visa program.
- The H-1B program allows high-skilled workers to work while applying for and obtaining a green card.
Microsoft has been suspended from applying for permanent residency on behalf of workers employed through a US visa program for high-skilled workers, Vice-President JD Vance announced on Thursday, according to the Guardian.
Vance accused the technology company of abusing the H-1B system, which allows people on the visa to work in the United States while they apply for and go through the process of obtaining a green card.
The vice-president also said that Adobe is barred from the visa program that allows high-skilled workers to apply for US residency, the Guardian reported.
The H-1B visa is a widely used pathway for technology firms to employ skilled foreign workers, and the program permits those workers to remain employed while their green card applications are pending.
The Guardian’s report centers on Vance’s announcement; further details about the scope, duration, or basis of the suspension were not provided in the available source material.
Why it matters
The H-1B program is a central tool for major technology companies to recruit and retain skilled foreign workers, and a suspension could affect employees' paths to US residency. The move also signals heightened government scrutiny of how large firms use the visa system.
Frequently asked questions
Which companies did JD Vance say are affected?
According to the Guardian, Vance said Microsoft is suspended from applying for permanent residency for H-1B workers and that Adobe is also barred from the visa program.
What is the H-1B program?
The H-1B is a US visa program for high-skilled workers that allows them to work while they apply for and are in the process of obtaining a green card, as described by the Guardian.
Why was Microsoft suspended?
Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the H-1B system, according to the Guardian. The source does not provide further detail on the specific allegations.