From Engadget · Anna Washenko · · 1m 10s
US suspends visa programs for Microsoft, Adobe and five others
The government froze permanent residency applications for seven tech companies accused of abusing H-1B visa programs to avoid hiring American workers.
In brief
The government froze permanent residency applications for seven tech companies accused of abusing H-1B visa programs to avoid hiring American workers. The US government suspended seven tech companies' access to H-1B visa permanent residency programs, alleging they under-advertised jobs to avoid hiring American…
Seven tech firms lose visa access
The US government suspended Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini from an H-1B visa program for skilled international workers.
Vance accuses firms of worker replacement
Vice President JD Vance alleged the companies intentionally under-advertised jobs domestically to hire international employees instead of American citizens. He said Microsoft was the worst offender.
“They will use that lack of response to then go and replace American workers with what is effectively foreign indentured servants.”
Microsoft defends its hiring practices
Microsoft said eighty percent of its approximately six thousand H-1B visa applications in the last fiscal year were to extend or change status of existing employees, not hire new people.
“The vast majority of Microsoft employees in the United States are Americans.”
Government expands investigation to universities
The government also said it would investigate nine higher education institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University and Stanford University, for similar alleged abuses of J-1 visa programs.
What matters most
The US government suspended seven tech companies' access to H-1B visa permanent residency programs, alleging they under-advertised jobs to avoid hiring American citizens.
