Microsoft President Brad Smith has warned that the Trump administration’s restrictions on green-card applications for skilled foreign workers could weaken the technological competitiveness that U.S. has long strived for. He said such rules would encourage talented professionals to seek opportunities abroad.
In an interview with Politico, Smith said blocking highly skilled foreign workers from obtaining permanent residency could seriously damage the American tech sectors for the years to come. He also rejected accusations by Vice President JD Vance that Microsoft had misused the H-1B visa program. He said the VP’s claims were “completely off base.”
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Smith’s remark come less than a week after Trump administration announced restrictions preventing Microsoft and seven other tech companies from using the program that helps employers sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency. The affected companies were Adobe, Cognizant, Capgemini, HCL Technologies, Infosys, TCS, and Wipro.
The administration said that aim of this restriction being what they described as “alleged visa abuse” and “to protect American workers.”
Meanwhile, Smith disputed this claim. He gave a contrasting example where the announcement at the White House happened on the same day Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from the very same place. Nadella was a former H-1B skilled visa holder from India.
Smith told Politico, “We should consider the fact that when the president honored six Americans with these technology and science medals, five of the six had come to the United States as immigrants.” He further added that the market value of those five put together is more than 25% of the market value of the total S&P 500.
Vance has accused Microsoft of taking advantage of the program by hiring foreign workers for lesser salaries than what they might have to give to American employee. Smith said the company applies same compensation system to employees regardless of whether they were Americans or immigrants. He added that the majority of company’s green card applications were for long-time employees and not new hires
He further added that the company hired more than 9,000 U.S. born workers last years, arguing that the company’s contribution to domestic employment had been overlooked in the criticisms that was directed at the company.
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“I think we should all be worried about sending — intentionally or inadvertently or otherwise — signals that send the most talented next wave of AI [or] SI software engineers to other countries, rather than the United States,” Smith said.
Last week, VP JD Vance announced a halt of new and pending green-card applications from eight companies. During the announcement he had alleged these companies of abusing work visa systems. Green card is an identity document that proves a foreign national has been granted the right to live and work permanently in the United States. Holders of a green card are called Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).