---
title: "US Government Suspends Microsoft from PERM Program"
url: https://newscentral.site/us-government-suspends-microsoft-from-perm-program/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "Business"
published: 2026-10-08T20:23:37.000Z
updated: 2026-10-09T03:53:49.030Z
id: 8b4c0ce0-eb67-4b84-ace4-88cea03d6f5a
source: "Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/vance-us-suspending-permanent-visa-residency-program-microsoft-adobe-2026-10"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/us-government-suspends-microsoft-from-perm-program/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# US Government Suspends Microsoft from PERM Program

The US government has suspended Microsoft from participating in the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) after Vice President JD Vance accused the company of abusing the program.

The US government has announced that it is suspending Microsoft from participating in a program that allows companies to sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency. This move comes after Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM), which employers use as an initial step towards obtaining an employment-based green card.

According to the PERM process, employers must demonstrate that no qualified and available US workers can fill a role before sponsoring a foreign worker for permanent residency. However, Microsoft has been found to have filed more certified PERM applications than any other employer in the first three quarters of this fiscal year, with 1504 filings under its own name.

Microsoft's subsidiaries, LinkedIn and Activision, also filed an additional 174 certified PERM applications during the same period. Vice President JD Vance criticized Microsoft's practices during a press conference, stating that for every worker laid off by the company, it replaced them with one and a half foreign workers.

Just over a week ago, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was seated next to Vice President JD Vance at a White House event focused on AI development, sparking questions about their relationship and potential influence.

Meanwhile, data reveals that roughly 80% of the approximately 6,000 H-1B visa applications submitted by Microsoft in the last fiscal year were aimed at extending or changing the status of existing employees rather than hiring new staff.

This information comes from a statement made by Microsoft itself, which also notes that only about 1% of its US workforce consists of individuals who are not already legally residing in the country and whose visa applications have been submitted.

The US administration has taken another step in its efforts to limit the use of foreign workers by announcing that it will investigate several top universities over allegations they used J-1 exchange visas to undermine American wages.

Among the nine universities being investigated are prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, which have been accused of exploiting a loophole in the visa system. The Labor Department's Inspector General has already served subpoenas, signaling that the investigation is underway. This move comes after several months of pressure from the administration on companies that rely heavily on foreign workers.

The suspension of Microsoft's permanent-residency program for new hires will likely have significant implications for the tech industry and its workforce. With the average processing time for PERM applications already at 336 calendar days, employees who are still waiting to hear back on their cases may face an uncertain future.

---
Source: [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/vance-us-suspending-permanent-visa-residency-program-microsoft-adobe-2026-10)  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/us-government-suspends-microsoft-from-perm-program/