NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Atlanta, GA, November 10, 2026: Technology giant IBM is ending U.S. visa and green card sponsorship for most positions in its consulting division, a decision that could force foreign employees, including Indian professionals, to relocate overseas or leave the company by the end of the year.
The move affects IBM Consulting, the company’s largest business division, which employs more than 150,000 people worldwide. While IBM has not disclosed how many workers will be affected, the decision represents a significant shift in the company’s approach to hiring and retaining foreign professionals in the United States.
According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the development, an internal document shared with managers this week outlined two options for affected employees: continue working for IBM outside the United States or leave the company by the end of 2026.
An IBM spokesperson confirmed the change, saying the company had decided to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of roles in its consulting business.
IBM Consulting has historically relied on U.S. high-skilled visa programs to fill positions requiring specialized expertise. However, the company said its participation in these programs had been declining for several years as workforce skills and client requirements evolved.
The decision comes amid the Trump administration’s tightening of employment-based immigration policies, particularly those governing the H-1B visa program, which allows American employers to hire foreign professionals in specialized occupations.
The H-1B program has long been an important pathway for Indian technology professionals seeking employment in the United States. Indian nationals account for the largest share of H-1B beneficiaries, and many depend on employer sponsorship not only to maintain their legal status but also to pursue permanent residency.
For Indian professionals caught in the lengthy employment-based green card backlog, IBM’s decision could create additional uncertainty. Employees with approved I-140 immigrant petitions can generally retain their priority dates if they change employers, but may need a new employer to sponsor their green card applications. It remains unclear whether IBM’s new policy will affect employees who have already secured I-140 approvals and are waiting for permanent residency.
IBM has not publicly detailed which consulting positions will be exempt from the new policy or how existing green card applications will be handled.
The company has also not clarified whether affected employees will be offered positions in India or other overseas locations, or whether relocation assistance will be available.
Federal immigration records indicate that IBM received approximately 1,611 H-1B petition approvals in fiscal year 2026, down from more than 2,000 in 2025 and nearly 3,000 in 2024. These figures cover IBM as a whole and include different types of petitions, so they do not indicate how many consulting employees are affected by the latest decision.
The announcement follows a series of immigration enforcement and policy measures targeting the technology industry’s reliance on foreign workers.
In October, the Trump administration suspended several major technology and outsourcing companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services, from participating in the Permanent Labor Certification process, commonly known as PERM.
PERM certification is a critical step for many foreign employees seeking employment-based green cards. The suspensions were part of the administration’s increased scrutiny of companies employing foreign workers.
The White House also announced a one-time $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions in 2025, significantly raising the potential cost of sponsoring foreign professionals.
The administration has argued that stricter immigration policies are necessary to protect American jobs and prevent abuse of the H-1B system. Technology companies, meanwhile, have traditionally maintained that access to skilled international workers helps them address talent shortages and remain competitive.
IBM’s announcement raises questions about whether other major American employers could adopt similar restrictions on immigration sponsorship.
It also highlights the vulnerability of foreign professionals whose ability to remain in the United States is tied to their employers.
Unlike U.S. citizens and permanent residents, H-1B workers who lose their jobs generally have a limited period, typically up to 60 days or until their authorized stay expires, whichever is shorter, to secure another qualifying immigration arrangement or depart the country.
For workers with spouses, children, mortgages and established lives in the United States, an unexpected employment change can therefore have consequences extending well beyond the workplace.
IBM has not announced a company-wide termination of H-1B employment, and the confirmed policy change applies to most roles within its consulting division rather than all IBM employees.
