IBM will end U.S. visa and green-card sponsorship for most roles in IBM Consulting, the company’s largest business division. Employees affected by the change may continue working for IBM outside the United States or leave the company by the end of 2026, according to Bloomberg.

A change limited to IBM Consulting

The policy is not a company-wide end to immigration sponsorship. IBM Consulting has more than 150,000 employees, but the number of workers and specific roles affected has not been disclosed.

IBM said its participation in high-skilled U.S. visa programs had been declining for several years. The company said changing skill availability and client requirements prompted it to discontinue sponsorship for most roles in the division. Newsweek reported that this includes halting H-1B and PERM-process applications there.

The practical effect for employees already on H-1B visas remains unclear. Newsweek said it had asked IBM what would happen to workers whose route to a green card could be affected, but the report did not provide an answer. The available information also does not specify where outside the United States employees could continue working or on what terms.

How the green-card process fits in

H-1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire high-skilled foreign workers. PERM, short for Permanent Labor Certification, is an early step in a common employer-sponsored route to permanent residence. Employers must show that hiring a foreign worker would not harm U.S. workers’ wages or employment opportunities.

U.S. Department of Labor data cited by Newsweek showed IBM applied for more than 1,100 H-1B visas in fiscal year 2026, which ended September 30. The figure does not show how many applications involved IBM Consulting, or how many visa holders went on to seek permanent residence; Newsweek said the latter number was not immediately clear.

The IBM decision comes amid separate action by the Trump administration against other employers. In October, the administration suspended or barred Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services from the PERM program. It accused the companies of abusing the U.S. worker visa system; the suspensions were also described as involving alleged fraud. The reported suspensions are separate from IBM’s policy change, and IBM had not been the focus of public administration comments on the issue, Newsweek reported.