JD Vance says Microsoft barred from seeking green cards for H-1B workers

US Vice-President JD Vance announced on Thursday that Microsoft had been suspended from applying for permanent residency for workers employed through the H-1B visa program. The Labor Department said Adobe had been subjected to the same measure.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the department would not accept new or process pending permanent labor certification applications involving the two companies.

Vance’s allegations and Microsoft’s response

Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the H-1B system and said the company had laid off American workers while replacing them with foreign employees. He said H-1B workers earned an average of $20,000 less than US workers in comparable positions.

Microsoft said most of its workforce was American and that 80% of its H-1B filings over the past year involved extensions or status changes for people already working at the company. It also said H-1B employees received the same pay as other workers doing comparable jobs.

Microsoft’s H-1B filings

Microsoft filed H-1B applications for nearly 3,700 workers in 2026, making it the program’s fifth-largest employer. Amazon ranked first, with more than 9,300 petitions.

Sonderling said Microsoft and Adobe had received about 230,000 H-1B approvals and 100,000 permanent labor certifications since 2009. The latter is a step toward an employment-based green card.

Debate over the H-1B program

The Trump administration has criticized the program for some time, arguing that it is widely abused. Immigration advocacy groups have also sought reforms, but they emphasize that workers whose visas are tied to their employer can struggle to change jobs.

The National Immigration Forum argues that attracting skilled workers from around the world, including in STEM, higher education, research and innovation, benefits the US economy.