US suspends Microsoft from H-1B program over alleged fraud

The Trump administration has suspended Microsoft from the H-1B visa programme over alleged fraud and the replacement of American workers, The Liberty Tribune reports.

At a White House press conference on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance accused the company of laying off about 6,000 American workers last year while benefiting from 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards.

“You cannot lay off American workers, and then replace them with foreign indentured servants,” Vance said.

Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling announced that Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini have also been suspended while investigations continue.

Microsoft said most of its US employees are Americans and that about 80 per cent of its H-1B applications were for extending or changing the status of existing staff.

“We pay our H-1B employees the same as any other employees doing comparable work,” the company stated.

Microsoft added that it would provide the administration with additional information as the review continues.