US technology company IBM has decided to stop H-1B visa and green card sponsorship for most positions in its consulting business. The decision could affect thousands of foreign professionals, including Indians, working in the United States. Following the company’s move, affected employees will have the option of relocating outside the US and continuing to work for IBM, or leaving the company.
According to a Bloomberg report, an internal document shared with IBM managers said affected employees must relocate outside the US by the end of 2026 or leave the company. However, the company has not yet clarified how many employees in total will come under the scope of the decision and which positions will continue to receive exemptions.
An IBM spokesperson said the company has participated in US high-skilled visa programmes to address skills shortages, but its participation has been declining over the past several years. Due to changes in the availability of skills and client needs, IBM has now decided to stop visa and green card sponsorship for most related positions in IBM Consulting.
More than 1.5 lakh employees work in IBM Consulting. The company’s decision comes at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration is increasing scrutiny of technology companies that hire foreign workers.
The H-1B visa allows US companies to employ foreign professionals with specialised skills, while a green card opens the path to permanent residency in the United States. IBM has not announced an end to sponsorship across all departments; the decision will mainly apply to most positions in the consulting unit.
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