IBM ends H-1B and green card sponsorship for consulting roles

IBM, one of the world's largest technology services providers, has announced it will no longer sponsor H-1B temporary work visas or permanent resident status applications for most roles within its consulting division. The decision affects a substantial portion of the company's workforce pipeline and represents a notable change in hiring practices for the American technology multinational.

The H-1B visa program has historically been a critical pathway for skilled technology professionals, particularly from South Asia, to work in the United States. India's technology workforce has relied heavily on the visa category, which allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialized roles. Green card sponsorship, which leads to permanent residency, had been another avenue through which technology professionals secured long-term immigration status.

IBM's policy shift comes amid ongoing scrutiny of visa programs and evolving immigration regulations in the United States. The company has not publicly detailed the specific reasons for the consulting division restrictions, though technology firms have increasingly faced pressure to hire domestically and reduce reliance on sponsored workers.

The move is expected to influence hiring patterns across the technology consulting sector, potentially prompting other multinational companies to review their own sponsorship policies. For Indian technology professionals, the decision underscores a narrowing of traditional pathways to international employment opportunities at major corporations.