IBM is ending U.S. visa and green card sponsorship for most roles in IBM Consulting, its largest business division. The company confirmed the policy shift on November 10 after Bloomberg News first reported it. An internal document shared with managers and seen by Bloomberg says impacted employees have two choices: continue working with IBM outside the United States or leave the company.
An IBM spokesperson said participation had been declining for years and, as skill availability and client need evolved, IBM opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting, Business Insider reported. IBM Consulting employs more than 150,000 workers out of IBM’s 264,300 global employees reported in its 2025 annual report. The change does not end sponsorship across all of IBM, focusing specifically on consulting roles; other units remain unaffected.
In September 2025, the administration proposed a $100,000 filing fee on some H-1B visa applications, a measure currently tied up in court. Federal rules also shifted the annual H-1B lottery toward wage-weighted selection starting in February 2026. In October, the Labor Department suspended Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services from the Permanent Labor Certification program.
Labor Department disclosure records show IBM’s labor condition applications dropped 49.8% year over year through the third quarter of fiscal 2026. Median offered wages stood at $129,259. IBM has been reshaping its business toward higher-margin software through acquisitions including Red Hat, HashiCorp, and Confluent. Consulting revenue growth has remained largely flat since 2024. IBM shares slipped roughly 1% on the morning of November 10 following the news. The company has not disclosed how many individual consultants will be affected or which visa categories are exempt.
