IBM ends most visa support for foreign workers in its consulting unit

Technology giant IBM is stopping visa and green card sponsorships for most roles in its largest division. A company spokesperson confirmed the change for the consultancy unit on Tuesday. The firm stated that its use of high-skilled visa programmes has dropped over time as skill availability and client needs changed. IBM Consulting has more than 150,000 workers out of a total global workforce of 264,300.

Background

IBM relies less on H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers now than before. US Citizenship and Immigration Services data shows that only 1,611 H-1B petitions were approved for the company in fiscal year 2026.

Context

Large technology firms often hire global talent through specialised visa programmes to meet their staffing needs. Changes to these programmes can affect hiring strategies across the entire tech sector.