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For thousands of skilled professionals, their green card was the end of a long wait. Now the end zone has moved. IBM will stop sponsoring US visas and green cards for most jobs at its IBM Consulting division, which employs more than 150,000 people, Reuters reported. Nobody on a work visa is guaranteed IBM green card sponsorship anymore.
Quick Facts
- Release date: 10 November 2026
- Division affected: IBM Consulting (150,000+ people)
- What ends: US visa support for most positions, IBM employment-based green cards
- Deadline reported: Deadline has reported that affected workers can stay with IBM outside the US or leave by the end of the year (Bloomberg News, via Reuters)
- Context: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were suspended last month from the PERM process
What IBM Green Card Sponsorship Policy Change Means
Under the new IBM green card sponsorship policy, most Consulting positions will not be eligible for visa sponsorship. IBM’s participation in high-skilled visa programs has been declining for years, an IBM spokesperson told Reuters, adding that the availability of skills and the needs of clients have changed. While IBM is not calling this an IBM workforce restructuring, or framing it as IBM US employee layoffs, for the people affected, the practical outcome could feel the same.
Why Timing is Important
IBM’s change in immigration policy comes amid criticism over the hiring of foreign tech workers. In September, the Trump administration blocked Microsoft, Adobe and a handful of big outsourcers from the Permanent Labour Certification process, a critical step toward employer-sponsored green cards. Separately, the White House last year slapped a one-time $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions. Combined, these US work visa restrictions are making US employment-based immigration routes more difficult for foreign workers in the USA.
What Happens to IBM Foreign Workers?
IBM immigrant employees affected, according to the Bloomberg report, can either work with the company outside the US or leave by the end of the year. The biggest concern for IBM H-1B visa employees in the middle of the H-1B to green card transition is lost progress. The usual route involves the PERM labour certification process, followed by an I-140 green card petition. If IBM PERM sponsorship ends before these filings are complete, workers may have to find a new sponsor and start over. With delays in processing green cards, there is little room for foreign employees facing job uncertainty to wait.
Is This a Wider Trend?
IBM is not the only one. IBM’s removal of visa sponsorship is part of a trend of US green card sponsorship changes, and green card sponsorship is being squeezed for multinational companies in tech and outsourcing. The job security of H-1B workers is increasingly tied not only to the visa but to the employer’s policies. If you are watching the US rules for skilled workers, then expect more changes.
What Affected Employees Should Do
- Check your case status: Before IBM green card sponsorship ends, see if a PERM or I-140 has been filed for you.
- Speak to an immigration attorney. Rules vary by case.
- For Foreign Workers: Check Out US Visas You May Be Eligible For: This is a list of different visa categories or different sponsoring employers.
- Moving forward: There aren’t many green card options left because of layoffs and the expiration date.
Explore the Latest Job Cuts and Immigration Rule Changes
1. Could IBM Layoffs Affect More Jobs?
Find out why IBM planned to cut 3,900 jobs and what it could mean for employees.
2. Will New PERM Rules Delay Green Cards?
Uncover how proposed PERM rule changes could affect employer sponsorship and foreign workers.
3. Could Green Card Suspensions Threaten H-1B Jobs?
Check out what Microsoft and Adobe H-1B employees can do to protect their U.S. employment.
4. Are You Ready for India’s Visa Rules?
Discover the new 2026 work visa requirements and what foreign employees must complete within 180 days.
5. Could Your Child’s Citizenship Status Change?
Look into the DHS green card rule and its potential impact on U.S.-born children of foreign government employees.
