IBM Ends Visa and Green Card Sponsorship for Most Consulting Roles
IBM will stop sponsoring US visas and green cards for most roles in its largest division, IBM Consulting, in the latest sign of how the Trump administration’s crackdown on skilled foreign hiring is reshaping big technology employers.
The company confirmed the change on Tuesday, after Bloomberg first reported it. A spokesperson said IBM Consulting had decided to end sponsorship “for the majority of such roles”, covering both H-1B visa petitions and the labour certification process that is the first step towards a green card.
What IBM announced
IBM Consulting employs more than 150,000 people, making it by far the company’s biggest division, out of a global workforce of about 264,300. The company has not said how many of those employees are on US visas.
In a statement, an IBM spokesperson said: “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.”
The decision applies to the consulting arm only. It does not amount to an end to sponsorship across the whole company, and IBM has not said which roles will keep sponsorship.
What happens to affected staff
According to an internal document seen by Bloomberg and shared with managers in the division, employees affected by the change can continue working for IBM from outside the United States or leave the company by the end of 2026.
That deadline gives staff only weeks to decide between relocating abroad with the company or finding another US employer willing to take over their sponsorship before the year ends.
The move follows a steady decline in IBM’s use of the H-1B programme. Figures from US Citizenship and Immigration Services show the company received 1,611 H-1B approvals in fiscal 2026, which ended on 30 September. Approvals for new H-1B employment had already fallen from 1,348 in fiscal 2024 to 501 in fiscal 2025.
A crackdown with wider reach
IBM’s decision lands as the Trump administration tightens the rules for companies that hire foreign professionals. Last year the White House announced a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions, and it has overhauled the visa lottery to favour higher-paid applicants. President Donald Trump has said the programme is often subject to fraud and takes work from skilled Americans.
Last month, the administration suspended Microsoft, Adobe and several major outsourcing companies — including Cognizant, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services — from the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process, saying it was cracking down on abuse and ensuring American workers were not laid off and replaced by foreign staff. The administration has also stepped up immigration enforcement in other areas, including deportation flights that courts have blocked.
IBM has not been publicly identified as one of the companies suspended from that process. Its decision appears to be voluntary, taken as scrutiny of foreign tech hiring intensifies.
What remains unclear
Several key details have not been confirmed. IBM has not said whether the change covers only new sponsorship cases or also affects employees already on H-1B visas, and it has not explained how managers should apply the policy in practice. Newsweek reported that it had asked the company about existing visa holders and had not received an answer when it published.
The company also has not said which roles count as the minority that keeps sponsorship, leaving staff and clients to wait for further guidance.
For now, the message to IBM Consulting’s foreign workforce is clear: the path to a US visa or a green card through the company’s largest division is closing, and those affected must choose between a move abroad or an exit by the end of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which IBM division is affected?
IBM Consulting, the company’s largest division, which employs more than 150,000 people. The change does not apply company-wide.
What is ending?
IBM will no longer sponsor H-1B visa petitions or PERM labour certification — the first step towards a green card — for most roles in IBM Consulting.
What options do affected employees have?
According to an internal document seen by Bloomberg, they can keep working for IBM from outside the United States or leave the company by the end of 2026.
Has IBM been suspended from the visa process by the government?
No. IBM has not been publicly identified among the companies suspended from the PERM process in October. Its decision was announced by the company itself.
