U.S. suspends Microsoft, Adobe from green-card labor program in foreign worker crackdown
Microsoft and Adobe just lost access to the U.S. green-card labor program. Labor Secretary cites 'multiple active federal investigations.'
Why it matters
Two enterprise software giants face federal labor enforcement over visa sponsorship practices. The suspension signals tighter scrutiny of H-1B and employment-based immigration programs—relevant to tech hiring, contractor sourcing, and offshore delivery models that underpin enterprise AI deployments.
The key facts
12 to knowLabor Secretary Keith Sonderling suspended both Microsoft and Adobe from green-card sponsorship program
Suspension cited 'multiple active federal investigations' into both companies
Date: October 8, 2026
Program affected: Employment-based green-card (EB) immigration sponsorship
No specific charges or findings disclosed; investigations described as 'active'
Both are major enterprise software vendors with large U.S. tech workforces
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling cited 'multiple active federal investigations' into both companies
Suspension applies to H-1B and EB-3 green-card labor programs
Microsoft and Adobe are major users of foreign-worker visa programs for engineering and technical roles
Action follows broader federal crackdown on tech-sector labor practices
No timeline disclosed for investigation resolution or reinstatement eligibility
Suspension affects companies' ability to sponsor foreign nationals for permanent residency and specialty-occupation work visas
Go to the source
CNBC Technologycnbc.com
Publisher excerpt: Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling cited "multiple active federal investigations" around the two companies' involvement in the program Thursday.