IBM is ending immigration sponsorship 'for the majority' of roles in its biggest unit
IBM is discontinuing visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of roles within its consulting division. This shift follows a broader trend of tech companies adjusting their reliance on foreign labor amid increased regulatory scrutiny and changing skill requirements.
Why it matters
This move impacts the workforce strategy of one of the world's largest consulting firms and reflects the tightening environment for high-skilled immigration in the U.S. tech sector.
Affected IBM employees can either continue working for the company outside the US or leave IBM by the end of the year. : Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images IBM said it is curtailing its sponsorships for foreign workers in its largest unit. IBM will discontinue visa and green card sponsorship "for the majority" of roles in IBM consulting. According to its website, IBM employs over 150,000 workers in its consulting unit. IBM said it's ending immigration sponsorships for "a majority of roles" in its biggest unit. "IBM Consulting participates in U.S. high-skilled visa programs to address skill shortages," an IBM spokesperson said in a statement. "That participation has been declining for a number of years and as skill availability and client need have evolved, we have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting."
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in