H-1B, Green Card update: IBM ends visa sponsorship for most roles in its biggest division; affected workers face year-end deadline

IBM is ending US visa and Green Card sponsorship for most positions in its consulting division, a major development for foreign workers, including Indian professionals, employed by the technology giant.Bloomberg reported that the decision affects IBM Consulting, the company's largest business division, which employs more than 150,000 people. Workers impacted by the move will have the option of continuing their employment with IBM outside the US or leaving the company by the end of the year.

“We have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting,” an IBM spokesperson said.The move comes amid the Trump administration's increasing scrutiny of companies hiring foreign workers and its efforts to make the H-1B visa programme more restrictive.IBM's decision does not amount to a company-wide end to immigration sponsorship. The reported change specifically concerns the majority of roles in its consulting division.The affected division had previously relied on US high-skilled visa programmes to address skill shortages.