IBM Ends H-1B, Green Card Sponsorship for Most Roles in Consulting Division

IBM is ending US H-1B visa and green card sponsorship for a majority of roles in its consulting division, which employs more than 150,000 people worldwide, according to Bloomberg. 

The decision will affect foreign workers seeking employer-sponsored immigration support to work in the US, with impacted employees reportedly being given the option to transfer to IBM positions outside the country or leave the company by the end of 2026.

Reuters subsequently reported that IBM confirmed the decision, citing changes in the availability of skilled workers and client requirements. 

A company spokesperson said IBM had historically used high-skilled visa programmes to address talent shortages, but its participation had been declining for several years.

“That participation has been declining for a number of years,” the spokesperson told Reuters, adding that IBM had decided to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for most such roles in IBM Consulting.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data shows that IBM received 2,045 H-1B petition approvals in FY25, down 29.7% from 2,906 in FY24. The decline was concentrated in applications for new employment, which fell 62.8% from 1,348 to 501 during the same period.

Of the 2,045 approvals in FY25, 501 were for initial employment, while 1,544 were for continuing employment, which includes visa extensions, amendments, and changes of employer. Initial-employment approvals accounted for just 24.5% of IBM's total approvals, compared with 46.4% in FY2024.

The trend continued into FY2026. IBM received 1,611 approvals between October 2025 and June 2026, comprising 708 initial-employment and 903 continuing-employment approvals. 

These are partial-year figures and should not be directly compared with full-year totals.

Bloomberg cited an internal company document shared with managers in the consulting division. According to the document, affected employees can continue working for IBM outside the US or leave the company by the end of the year.

IBM's decision comes amid the US President Donald Trump administration's tightening of employment-based immigration programmes. 

In September 2025, the White House announced a one-time $100,000 fee on certain new H-1B petitions for workers hired from outside the US.

The company is also joining a growing list of technology and IT services companies facing restrictions on employment-based immigration.

Last month, the US Department of Labor suspended Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini from participating in the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme. The suspension prevents these companies from filing new or processing pending PERM applications, a key step in the employer-sponsored green card process.