IBM Halts Visa and Green Card Sponsorship in Consulting Division
IBM is halting work visa and green card sponsorship for most roles in its 150,000-employee consulting division, giving affected workers an ultimatum to transfer overseas or leave.
International Business Machines Corp. Is ending work visa and green card sponsorship for most roles in its consulting division, according to reporting by Reuters and Business Insider. The decision brings changes to the company's largest operating unit, which employs more than 150,000 workers.
An IBM spokesperson stated that the unit had relied on U.S. High-skilled visa programs to close skill gaps, but noted that participation had been declining for several years. The spokesperson attributed the shift to changes in skill availability and client need, confirming that the company opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting. Affected employees currently on sponsored visas have been given two choices by management according to Bloomberg reporting cited across multiple outlets: transfer to an IBM role outside the United States, or leave the company by the end of the year. The policy halts both H-1B specialty occupation visas and the Program Electronic Review Management process, commonly known as PERM, which serves as the primary gateway to permanent residency.
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Federal records highlight a multi-year downward trajectory in the company's immigration footprint. According to data cited by Business Insider and BigGo Finance, approved H-1B petitions for IBM as a whole fell from nearly 3,000 in fiscal 2024 to over 2,000 in fiscal 2025, and dropped to just over 1,600 in fiscal 2026. Analysts note that these overarching figures may include renewals and extensions alongside new hires, and do not isolate the consulting division specifically. BigGo Finance noted that IBM reported 264,300 employees across the company and its wholly owned subsidiaries in its 2025 annual report, while consulting growth has been broadly flat since 2024 following the company's shift toward higher-growth software through acquisitions such as Red Hat, HashiCorp, and Confluent.
| Fiscal Year | Approved H-1B Petitions (IBM Overall) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nearly 3,000 | N/A |
| 2025 | Over 2,000 | Decline |
| 2026 | Just over 1,600 | Decline |
The policy shift arrives during a tightened federal environment under the second Trump administration, directed in part by Vice President JD Vance. Newsweek reported that the administration recently suspended access to the PERM program for Microsoft, Adobe, and several other major technology firms over alleged fraud concerns, while the Department of Justice reached settlements with Instacart and OpenAI regarding recruitment practices. Proposals under consideration include a $100,000 filing fee for H-1B candidates and lottery rules designed to prioritize higher-salaried positions. Mwakilishi pointed out that the changes also follow the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July 2025, which introduced substantial fee hikes for major employers.
The end of sponsorship in the consulting unit carries particular weight for international professionals. Mwakilishi highlighted that IBM Consulting has long served as an established corporate entry point for Kenyan and other African tech professionals entering the U.S. Services industry, where applicants from non-backlogged countries could leverage corporate sponsorship for expedited permanent residency.
Market reactions were immediate following the disclosure. Aiweekly and BigGo Finance reported that shares of International Business Machines Corp. Slipped about one percent in trading on the day of the announcement.
- Federal data shows total IBM petition approvals have declined across consecutive fiscal years.
- No official head count of affected workers has been published by the company.
