Microsoft seeks 6,000 worker visas amid mass layoffs

Daily Mail​

14 hours ago

Microsoft applied for as many as 6,000 specialized migrant worker visas leading up to a decision to terminate 9,000 jobs globally, according to new reports. The global tech giant revealed this week it would cut around 4 percent of its global workforce as it ramps up investments in artificial intelligence.
The move has seen loyal, long term American employees lose their livelihoods and sparked unrest at a time when President Donald Trump is trying to ramp up local production and employment. But data compiled by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service suggests that in the 2025 fiscal year, Microsoft has already applied for 4,712 H1-B visas. Anecdotal commentary on X among former staff and insiders actually places this number closer to 6,000 - but the exact figure has not been verified.
But the visa is often tied to a specific role at a specific company, meaning an employee's right to live in the United States is tied to their employment and, theoretically, making it less likely that they will quit their jobs.
Once their role is terminated, they often have to leave the United States. 'In some sense, there's nothing strange here,' Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, told Newsweek. 'You have a situation where the advocacy or use of guest worker programs is entirely always disconnected from the actual behavior of businesses. 'The actual data we have never supports the idea that we are terribly short of workers in the way that the business community says.'
The tech giant will slash around 9,000 jobs across different teams, geographies and levels of experience, the company said on Wednesday. 'We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,' Microsoft said in a statement. It is the fourth round of layoffs at Microsoft this year following the cutting of 1 percent of its headcount in January, 6,000 further job cuts in May and 300 more in June. In April, Microsoft said it planned to use third-party firms to handle more sales of software to small and mid-size customers. The company had a global headcount of 228,000 at the end of June 2024. Microsoft has market capitalization of over $3 trillion - the biggest in the world - but it is looking to rein in costs as it funnels billions into its ambitious bet on artificial intelligence.
But its use of expert foreign labor is among the highest in the United States, ranking seventh out of the top 10 US corporations. Amazon ranks first, with 9,200 applications in 2024. DailyMail.com has reached out to Microsoft regarding its use of the H1-B visa program. There is no known or confirmed link between the H1-B visas Microsoft is applying for and the global cuts which have been made. But this has not stopped MAGA supporters from calling for the visas to be stopped while layoffs of local employees are taking place. 'This is economic treason. Approving a single H1B right now is a grave betrayal of your fellow citizens,' right-wing X account Pine Baron wrote. 'How is this not economic treason? Every H1B approved now is a slap in the face to hardworking Americans. Stand up for your fellow citizens,' another said. 'Trump should be stopping H1-B until this is under control. Microsoft should not be allowed a visa person for 10 years,' a third wrote.
Amid Trump's efforts to deport illegal immigrants and bring work back to America, the H1-B visa has drawn the ire of MAGA loyalists who believe its existence takes jobs away from hardworking Americans. Supporters of the visa program, including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, argued the program attracts high value workers to the United States and even suggested they were in favor of increasing work visa allowances. But the president's base is still vehemently opposed. Trump himself has not indicated he has any plans to change the H1-B visa scheme, even as he seeks to carry out the largest mass deportation agenda in US history. 'The problem here is, for the most part, the system works well for business, and if it works pretty well for business, well the incentive to change it in ways that would protect American workers is hard,' Camarota said. 'The reality is that the business community is convinced they need the workers and there is tremendous skepticism in the part of the public. The end result is political stalemate in terms of reforms.'
Microsoft experienced one of its best ever quarters between January and March, with $26billion in profit. Stock is up nearly 20 percent year-to-date. The news comes days after Amazon's CEO announced brutal workforce cuts as the company also increases its use of AI. Amazon boss Andy Jassy said he plans to reduce the company's corporate workforce over the next few years as the tech will make certain roles redundant. Jassy told employees in a note seen by the Wall Street Journal that AI was a once-in-a-lifetime technological advancement and it has already transformed how Amazon operates. '​​As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done,' he wrote in the memo.
It is not yet clear how many workers will lose their jobs and when the cuts will come. 'It's hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce,' Jassy (pictured) explained. Those close to the matter told the outlet that a large chunk of the decrease in headcount would hopefully occur via attrition. This means as employees move on their roles will not be filled. However, this will not cover all of the reductions and layoffs are still expected to occur at some point.
Amazon is the second largest employer in the country and is seen as a bellwether for employment stability. The company has already slowed hiring, suggesting AI is already influencing the company's staffing needs. It is also clear the company is betting big on the new technology, after it revealed plans to splash $100 billion on data centers that AI depends on.