IBM has told foreign-born workers in its largest division that it will no longer sponsor their American visas or green cards, giving them a choice between moving abroad with the company or leaving by the end of the year. The decision, announced on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, ends H-1B and green card sponsorship for the majority of roles in IBM Consulting, which employs more than 150,000 people. It was first reported by Bloomberg, citing an internal document shared with managers this week. The move lands in the middle of the Trump administration's crackdown on foreign tech hiring, and it makes IBM one of the biggest American employers yet to pull back from that visa system.

Key Points

• IBM said on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that it is ending US visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of roles in IBM Consulting, its largest division, which has more than 150,000 employees.
• An IBM spokesperson said: “We have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting.”
• Affected workers can continue working for IBM outside the United States or leave the company by the end of the year, according to an internal document shared with managers this week.
• IBM said it continues to sponsor visas in its other divisions, and that participation in US high-skilled visa programmes had been declining for years.
• The decision comes as the Trump administration pushes a proposed $100,000 fee on most new H-1B petitions, lottery rules favouring higher-paying employers, and suspensions from the PERM system.

What Happened

Bloomberg first reported the change on Tuesday, citing an internal document that IBM shared with managers this week. The document set out the new policy for IBM Consulting, IBM's largest division by headcount. An IBM spokesperson confirmed the decision, saying the company had “opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting”.

The document gave affected workers two options: continue working for IBM from outside the United States, or leave the company by the end of the year. IBM did not say how many workers are affected, or how many of the division's more than 150,000 employees currently hold H-1B visas or are waiting for green cards. It also did not say whether workers already part-way through a green card application will be able to finish the process.

Background: IBM Consulting and the H-1B Crackdown

IBM Consulting is the company's biggest business by headcount, with more than 150,000 employees advising clients around the world on technology strategy, software and artificial intelligence. Consulting firms have long been heavy users of the H-1B programme. IBM said its participation in US high-skilled visa programmes had been declining for years, and that the decision reflects changes in skill availability and client needs. The company stressed that it continues to sponsor visas in its other divisions, so the change is limited to IBM Consulting rather than a company-wide withdrawal.

The timing matters. The Trump administration has moved aggressively against foreign tech hiring this year. Its proposals include a $100,000 fee on most new H-1B petitions, which would make each new hire dramatically more expensive, and new lottery rules that favour higher-paying employers. Last month, the administration suspended multiple companies from the PERM system, the labour-certification process employers must use before sponsoring a worker for a green card.

IBM Ends H-1B Sponsorship: What It Means for Workers

For the workers affected, the choice IBM has offered is stark. They can keep their jobs by moving to another country where IBM operates, or they can leave the company by the end of the year. Neither option is simple. Moving abroad means uprooting a life built in the United States, often after years of waiting in the green card queue. Leaving IBM means finding another employer willing to sponsor a visa, and doing it quickly, because a worker who loses their sponsor can lose their right to stay.

The year-end deadline adds pressure. Workers who have spent years in the green card process face the prospect of starting over, and those with families, mortgages and children in American schools have weeks, not months, to decide. A separate proposal would end the deference US immigration officials give to earlier approvals when workers extend their H-1B visas, adding another layer of uncertainty for workers who are already here.

Reactions

IBM's public statement was brief. The spokesperson's confirmation was the company's only comment, and it offered no further detail on the number of workers affected or the support they will receive. Investors reacted cautiously: IBM shares dipped about 1% on Tuesday morning after the news was reported, a modest fall that suggests the market sees the move as a sign of the wider pressure on tech hiring rather than a company-specific problem.

No worker groups or immigration advocates had commented publicly, and the sources checked for this article carried no on-the-record reaction from affected employees, so none is quoted here. President Donald Trump has made cutting foreign hiring a central part of his second-term agenda, and he has also recently offered Democrats talks on immigration and tax cuts after the midterm losses, a sign that immigration policy remains one of the most contested issues in Washington.

Why It Matters

IBM is one of the oldest and largest names in American technology, and when a company of its size steps back from the visa system, other employers take notice. Consulting firms in particular will be watching closely, because they share IBM's business model and face the same pressures. If more of them follow, the effect on the H-1B programme could be large, and the effect on the workers who depend on it larger still.

What Happens Next

The immediate question is what happens to the workers IBM Consulting employs on visas and green card applications. The year-end deadline gives them weeks to decide between moving abroad and leaving the company, and their choices will show whether IBM's offer of work outside the United States is a real option or a formality. Watch, too, for whether other large consulting and technology firms follow IBM's lead, and for whether the administration's proposed $100,000 H-1B fee and lottery changes move from proposal to law.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did IBM announce?
IBM said on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, that it is ending US visa and green card sponsorship for most roles in IBM Consulting, its largest division, with more than 150,000 employees.

What happens to the workers affected?
Affected workers can continue working for IBM outside the United States or leave the company by the end of the year.

Does IBM still sponsor visas anywhere?
Yes. IBM said it continues to sponsor visas in its other divisions; the change applies to IBM Consulting only.

Why did IBM make the decision?
IBM said participation in US high-skilled visa programmes had been declining for years and the decision reflects changes in skill availability and client needs.

What is driving the wider crackdown on H-1B visas?
The Trump administration has proposed a $100,000 fee on most new H-1B petitions and lottery rules favouring higher-paying employers, and suspended companies from the PERM system.