IBM is ending immigration sponsorship 'for the majority' of roles in its biggest unit
An IBM spokesperson said the company would "discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting."
IBM has decided to stop sponsoring visas and green cards for the majority of roles in its largest unit, IBM Consulting. This means affected employees can either continue working for the company outside the United States or leave IBM by the end of the year. IBM Consulting, which employs over 150,000 people, participates in U.S. high-skilled visa programs to address skill shortages, but their involvement in such programs has been decreasing over the years due to varying skill availability and client needs.
The company's decision to end visa and green card sponsorship for most roles in IBM Consulting was announced following reports from Bloomberg. The move comes amid the Trump administration's efforts to curb tech companies' reliance on foreign workers. In September 2025, Trump proposed a $100,000 fee on some H-1B applicants, though this proposal is currently under dispute.
Vice President JD Vance also announced last month that the Trump administration would suspend Microsoft from a federal program used to sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency, alleging that Microsoft had abused the PERM process. IBM's 2025 annual report revealed that the company had 264,300 employees across its subsidiaries, with just over 1,600 H-1B petitions approved in fiscal year 2026, down from over 2,000 in FY 2025 and nearly 3,000 in FY 2024.
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