The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft, Adobe and a number of other technology and IT firms from a federal program that allows employers to sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency. Officials said the move stems from allegations of fraud within the program.

Vice President JD Vance announced the suspension. The program in question, known as PERM labor certification, requires companies to show they could not find qualified American workers before sponsoring a foreign employee for a green card.

The suspension affects some of the largest employers of foreign tech talent in the country. Microsoft and Adobe, both major users of the H-1B visa system and the green card sponsorship pipeline that often follows it, are named specifically, while other IT staffing and outsourcing firms are also affected.

Neither Microsoft nor Adobe has publicly detailed the specific allegations against them, and it remains unclear how long the suspension will last or what steps the companies would need to take to be reinstated. The administration has not released a full list of affected employers or detailed documentation of the fraud allegations.

The PERM program is often the final step before a foreign worker already in the U.S., frequently on an H-1B visa, can obtain a green card. A suspension from the program does not necessarily affect workers' existing visa status, but it could delay or block new green card sponsorships for employees at the affected companies.

Microsoft, Adobe and the Department of Labor did not immediately provide detailed public comment on the scope of the suspension or respond to specific questions about which cases triggered the fraud allegations.

References

1. 1.CNBC — reporting on the suspension and companies affected
2. 2.Axios — reporting on the suspension and companies affected