IBM Consulting ends H-1B, Green Card sponsorship for most roles amid US visa crackdown

Tech giant IBM has decided to stop sponsoring H-1B visas and employment-based Green Cards for most positions in its consulting division, citing improved availability of skilled workers in the United States.

The decision applies only to IBM Consulting, which employs around 150,000 people globally and provides services in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity and IT consulting.

An IBM spokesperson told Newsweek that the company's participation in high-skilled visa programmes had been declining for several years.

"IBM Consulting participates in U.S. high-skilled visa programs to address skill shortages. That participation has been declining for a number of years, and as skill availability and client need have evolved, we have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting," the spokesperson said.

Anthony D'Esposito, Inspector General of the US Department of Labour, linked the decision to the Trump administration's crackdown on visa and Green Card abuse.

"@IBM is pulling back on visa sponsorships. Funny how the corporate calculus changes when scrutiny shows up...If your business model depends on nobody checking, find a new business model," he said.

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What happens to affected employees?

The decision covers H-1B applications and the PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) process, a key step towards obtaining an employment-based Green Card. Under PERM, employers must show that qualified American workers are unavailable for the positions.

Bloomberg reported that affected employees can either leave the US and continue working for IBM from another country or leave the company by the end of the year. It remains unclear what will happen to existing H-1B employees who are no longer eligible for Green Card sponsorship.

The H-1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign professionals for specialised jobs. It is initially granted for three years and can generally be extended for another three years.

IBM's decision comes as the Trump administration increases scrutiny of H-1B visas and employment-based immigration programmes.