@seattletoday_: Microsoft has been suspended from a federal program that allows companies to sponsor foreign workers, including H-1B visa holders, for employment-based green cards, according to the Trump administration. Vice President JD Vance announced the suspension Thursday, accusing the Redmond-based technology giant of abusing the immigration system and prioritizing foreign workers over American employees. The decision affects the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program, a key step in obtaining employment-based permanent residency in the United States. The suspension comes as federal labor data compiled by MyVisaJobs shows Microsoft recorded more than 5,800 H-1B labor condition applications associated with its Redmond operations in fiscal year 2025. Redmond is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. However, the 5,800-plus figure represents applications, not the number of workers directly affected by the suspension. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the Department of Labor would stop accepting new applications and processing pending labor certification applications involving the suspended companies. Other companies named in the crackdown include Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. The suspension does not automatically cancel existing H-1B visas, but it creates uncertainty for employees pursuing permanent residency through their employers. The administration has alleged immigration-related abuses, although those allegations have not been established in court. Microsoft had not immediately responded to requests for comment at the time of initial reporting. Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, MyVisaJobs. #SeattleToday #Microsoft #Seattle #Redmond #H1B

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Thursday 08 October 2026 16:02:41 GMT