Microsoft suspended from PERM program, denies wrongdoing over H-1B filings
Microsoft just got suspended from a key US program that helps foreign workers get permanent residency, but the company says it hasn't done anything wrong.
Microsoft explained that most of its 6,000 recent H-1B visa applications were for people already working at Microsoft and stressed that most of its US workforce was American.
The rest of the applications, it says, were for workers already legally in the US who chose to join Microsoft and were not new arrivals.
JD Vance alleges Microsoft visa fraud
US Vice President JD Vance announced the move as part of a crackdown on alleged visa fraud, claiming Microsoft was swapping out American workers for H-1B employees.
Microsoft pushed back hard, saying it paid H-1B employees the same as other workers doing comparable jobs and that it follows strict government rules.
The suspension affects the PERM program, which is an important step for foreign employees hoping to get green cards.