New Delhi: IBM is ending US visa and green-card sponsorship for most consulting roles, potentially forcing affected foreign professionals to decide between working outside the United States and leaving the company by December. The move could disrupt employment and permanent residency plans for Indian technology workers who rely on IBM’s sponsorship.
IBM Consulting employs more than 150,000 people worldwide, but the company has not disclosed how many are affected or which positions will remain eligible. Bloomberg News, citing an internal document shared with managers, first reported the option of overseas employment or departure by the end of this year.
IBM confirmed the decision to Reuters, saying its consulting division had previously relied on US high-skilled visa programmes to address shortages of qualified professionals. However, participation had declined over several years as workforce skill availability and client requirements evolved. “We have opted to discontinue visa and green card sponsorship for the majority of such roles in IBM Consulting,” a company spokesperson said.
The decision also comes amid sluggish growth in IBM’s consulting business. According to the company’s third-quarter financial results, consulting revenue stood at $5.3 billion, virtually unchanged from a year earlier and up 2 per cent at constant currency, compared with an 8 per cent increase in software revenue. However, IBM has not directly linked its sponsorship decision to the consulting division’s financial performance.
What changes for Indians?
Indian-born professionals accounted for 69.9 per cent of approved H-1B petitions across US employers in fiscal 2025, according to US immigration figures. The statistic counts approved petitions, including those relating to existing workers, not unique employees or the proportion of Indians working at IBM.
For Indian employees in IBM consulting’s US offices, an overseas transfer may be possible if an appropriate position exists. IBM has not promised postings in India, equivalent salaries or unchanged responsibilities, and relocation could affect family arrangements, taxation and career progression.
Indian professionals already employed by IBM in India are not automatically covered by the US sponsorship decision. Prospective applicants for US consulting jobs may, however, find fewer positions offering immigration support.
What happens to visas and green-card applications?
The H-1B programme enables US employers to petition for qualified foreign workers in specialized occupations. A decision to stop sponsorship does not automatically cancel an existing visa or lawful status, but termination of employment or failure to secure a required extension can jeopardize an employee’s ability to work and remain in the country.
Some H-1B workers who lose their jobs may qualify for a discretionary grace period of up to 60 days, or until their authorized stay expires, whichever comes first. A new employer generally must file the relevant petition, while other lawful immigration options depend on individual eligibility.
Employer-sponsored green cards involve a separate route towards permanent residency, often requiring permanent labor certification (PERM) from the US department of labor. Withdrawal of sponsorship can disrupt pending applications, although the consequences depend on their stage and some immigration categories permit independent applications.
Wider pressure on technology hiring
IBM’s H-1B petition approvals fell from 2,906 in fiscal 2024 to 2,045 in 2025 and 1,611 in 2026, according to USCIS-derived employer data. These company-wide figures include petitions for continuing employment and do not indicate how many consultants face relocation.
The decision follows tighter scrutiny of foreign hiring under the US president, Donald Trump. A $100,000 fee announced in 2025 for certain new H-1B petitions remains blocked by federal court orders, while separate restrictions imposed in October suspended Microsoft, Adobe and outsourcing companies including Cognizant, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services from the permanent labor certification process. IBM was not among the companies named in that action.
For affected workers, the critical questions are whether an overseas position is available and whether another US employer can sponsor continued employment. The reported year-end company deadline is not itself an automatic expiry date for every employee’s immigration status.