Microsoft warns green-card curbs could hurt U.S. tech competitiveness
The Trump administration's move to restrict green-card access for skilled foreign workers is drawing criticism from one of the U.S. technology sector's biggest employers. Microsoft President Brad Smith says the policy risks pushing talent overseas and weakening the industry's long-term competitiveness.
Highlights
- Microsoft President Brad Smith warned the new green-card restrictions could damage U.S. tech competitiveness for more than a generation.
- Smith rejected Vice President JD Vance's claim that Microsoft abused the H-1B visa program, calling the accusation 'completely off base.'
- Microsoft asserts foreign-born and U.S.-born employees receive equal pay and highlights hiring more than 9,000 U.S.-born workers last year.
Policy clash over skilled immigration
As first reported by Reuters, citing Politico, Smith said the administration's decision to block Microsoft and seven other companies from seeking green cards for skilled foreign workers could damage the U.S. technology sector for more than a generation.His comments come less than a week after Vice President JD Vance announced the restriction. In the interview, Smith also rejected Vance's accusation that Microsoft had abused the H-1B visa program, calling the claim "completely off base".
Smith argues that limiting pathways to permanent residency for highly skilled immigrants could cripple the sector's ability to compete globally by driving talent to other countries instead of retaining it in the U.S.
Implications for hiring and the tech sector
Smith also disputes the claim that foreign-born employees are paid less than American workers, saying Microsoft applies the same compensation system to all employees regardless of immigration status.He says the company hired more than 9,000 U.S.-born workers last year, adding that this contribution has been overlooked in the administration's criticism. The White House and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
In our earlier article on HeiTech Padu’s MyIMMs contract extension, we covered how Malaysia prolonged maintenance of its legacy immigration platform through 2029 while transitioning to the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe). We also noted that the rollout timeline for NIISe stretches into 2028, meaning both systems must run in parallel to avoid disruptions to immigration services during the shift to the new framework.
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