Microsoft Banned From Green Card Sponsorship in H-1B Crackdown
You work at Microsoft on an H-1B visa and your employer has been sponsoring your green card — then the US government freezes the entire process. Vice President JD Vance announced Thursday that the Trump administration has suspended Microsoft and Adobe from sponsoring H-1B workers for permanent residency, citing layoffs of American workers and alleged wage suppression through the visa program.
You work at Microsoft on an H-1B visa, your employer has been sponsoring your green card application — and now the US government has just frozen that process entirely. That is the reality for thousands of workers after Vice President JD Vance announced on Thursday that Microsoft has been suspended from filing new permanent residency applications for its H-1B employees.
The US Department of Labor also suspended Adobe under the same action. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated that the government will not accept any new permanent labor certification applications — a required step toward an employment-based green card — from either company, and will not process any applications already pending. Sonderling said that since 2009, Microsoft and Adobe together received roughly 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and 100,000 permanent labor certifications. Microsoft applied for H-1B visas for nearly 3,700 workers in 2026, ranking it fifth among the largest H-1B employers. Amazon led the list with more than 9,300 petitions this year.
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Vance framed the suspension as a response to what he called wage suppression and the replacement of American workers. He claimed that H-1B workers earn on average $20,000 less than US workers in the same roles, and accused companies of using the program to cut labor costs. The National Immigration Forum, an advocacy group, pushed back in a September 2026 blog post, arguing that attracting global talent in STEM and research strengthens the US economy and that restricting the program risks ceding ground to international competitors. Advocates have separately long noted that H-1B workers are especially vulnerable because their visa status is tied to their employer, making it hard to change jobs or negotiate better pay.
What this means for H-1B workers at Microsoft and Adobe
If you are an H-1B employee at Microsoft or Adobe and your employer was in the process of sponsoring your green card, the suspension directly affects your path to permanent residency. Pending permanent labor certification applications from these companies will not be processed. New applications cannot be filed. Your H-1B status itself is separate from this action — the suspension targets the green card sponsorship process, not your current work authorization — but your long-term options have narrowed significantly.
What to do
- Check the exact stage of your green card case. If your employer already filed Form I-140 (the immigrant petition for alien workers) and it was approved before this suspension, that approval may still be valid — ask an immigration attorney to review your specific record.
- Ask your employer's HR or legal team in writing what the suspension means for your pending application and whether the company plans to challenge the action.
- Explore whether another employer could take over your green card sponsorship through a process called "porting" — immigration lawyers recommend this as a possible path if your priority date is current and your I-140 was already approved.
- Do not let your H-1B status lapse while you sort this out. Work with an attorney to make sure your visa extensions are filed on time, independent of the green card process.
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This suspension targets the PERM labor certification process, not H-1B status itself, so affected workers do not lose their current work authorization overnight. However, if your I-140 has not yet been filed or approved, your green card timeline is now indefinitely stalled at Microsoft or Adobe. Workers whose I-140 was already approved and who have waited more than 180 days may be able to port that petition to a new employer under AC21 portability rules — that is the most important option to explore right now with a qualified immigration attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this suspension mean I will be deported if I work at Microsoft or Adobe on an H-1B?
No. The suspension targets the green card sponsorship process, specifically permanent labor certifications. Your H-1B work visa status is not revoked by this action. You can still legally work as long as your H-1B remains valid and is extended on time.
What happens to my green card application that was already in progress?
The Department of Labor said it will not process any pending permanent labor certification applications from Microsoft or Adobe. If your case was at that early PERM stage, it is frozen. If your employer had already filed and received an approved Form I-140, that approval may still be valid — consult an attorney to confirm your specific situation.
Can I transfer my green card sponsorship to a new employer?
Possibly. Under a rule called AC21 portability, if your I-140 petition was approved and you have been waiting more than 180 days, you may be able to move your green card case to a new employer in a similar job. This is a complex process and the rules depend on your priority date and visa category — an immigration attorney can tell you whether you qualify.
Does this affect H-1B workers at other tech companies like Amazon?
As of this announcement, only Microsoft and Adobe have been suspended. Amazon, which filed more than 9,300 H-1B petitions in 2026, was not named. The Trump administration has signaled broader scrutiny of the H-1B program, so workers at other large tech employers should monitor official announcements closely.