Trump Immigration Crackdown Prompts IBM to Halt H-1B and Green Card Sponsorships

International Business Machines Corp. is ending H-1B visa and green card sponsorship for most positions in its consulting division, forcing affected employees to either move abroad or leave the company by the end of 2026.

The policy change impacts IBM Consulting, the corporation's largest business unit, which employs more than 150,000 people globally. A company spokesperson confirmed the shift, saying, "We have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting."

IBM has not disclosed the total number of workers affected or specified which roles will continue to qualify for sponsorship. However, US Citizenship and Immigration Services data shows the company secured 1,611 H-1B approvals in the 2026 fiscal year, down from 2,045 in 2025. Since 2009, IBM has sponsored H-1B workers 27,863 times, ranking it among the largest corporate sponsors of foreign talent in the United States.

The decision arrives as the Trump administration implements stricter immigration regulations aimed at reducing tech companies' reliance on foreign workers and prioritizing American labor. The administration has introduced a one-time $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions and modified the visa selection process to favor higher-paid positions.

Regulatory scrutiny has also widened across the technology sector. Last month, federal authorities suspended Microsoft, Adobe, and major outsourcing firms, including Cognizant, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services, from the Permanent Labor Certification process following allegations of program misuse.

Internally, IBM attributed the shift to changing client requirements and a gradual decline in the utilization of high-skilled visa programmes. The company is currently restructuring its business model to focus on high-growth software operations following major acquisitions like Red Hat, HashiCorp, and Confluent. At the same time, its consulting business has struggled, with performance remaining largely flat since 2024.

The sudden policy change intensifies uncertainty for international technology professionals, particularly Indian nationals who make up a substantial share of the US tech workforce. Affected employees now face a stark ultimatum: relocate outside the United States to continue their employment with IBM or exit the company by December 2026.