Microsoft Excluded: US Government Bars Software Giant from Green Card Program

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Microsoft Excluded: US Government Bars Software Giant from Green Card Program.

The US government is excluding Microsoft and Adobe from a program for permanent residency for foreign professionals. As heise online and the Tages-Anzeiger report, the government accuses the companies of years of abuse of work visas. Both sources thus paint a picture of a coordinated sanction against major tech employers.

According to the Tages-Anzeiger, the US is barring several companies from the process for permanent residency for foreign employees. Microsoft is "especially" in the "crosshairs," the newspaper writes. The company – maker of Windows – has cut thousands of jobs in the US in recent years, the Tages-Anzeiger adds.

heise online additionally names Adobe as an affected company and speaks of "years of abuse of work visas." This tightens the US government's pressure on tech corporations that continue to recruit foreign specialists in parallel with layoffs at home.

What does the exclusion mean for Microsoft and Adobe?

For the affected companies, the move has immediate consequences: Foreign employees who wanted to apply for permanent residency in the US through the Green Card program can no longer use the employer route. In an industry engaged in global competition for tech specialists, this is a clear signal to HR departments – and to the affected employees.

Which other companies are affected?

heise online speaks of "Microsoft, Adobe and others" – but names no further companies. The Tages-Anzeiger confirms that there are several companies. Which companies exactly are on the list does not emerge from the available reports. What is clear is that the US government is specifically targeting major tech employers.

How serious is the accusation?

Microsoft is particularly in focus because the company had announced several major waves of layoffs in recent years. The Tages-Anzeiger speaks of "thousands" of US jobs cut. The picture the US government paints: Companies use visa programs to attract top talent from abroad while releasing American workers. heise online frames it as an accusation of "years of abuse" – a pointed word that suggests a longer investigation.