Oracle has been making headlines for layoffs across its global workforce. As thousands of employees woke up Tuesday to emails informing them their roles had been cut, many were likely unaware that the company had also been actively seeking to hire foreign workers. The conversation has now shifted to the H-1B visa program, bringing companies like Oracle Corporation and Amazon into sharper focus.
Data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services shows that Oracle filed about 3,126 H-1B petitions across fiscal years 2025 and 2026. These petitions are submitted by employers looking to hire foreign professionals in specialized fields such as technology. Of that total, 436 petitions were filed in 2026 alone.
Amazon presents a similar pattern. The company, which announced in January that it would cut 16,000 corporate jobs, filed approximately 2,675 H-1B petitions over the same two-year period. This comes after an earlier round of layoffs in October, when the company reduced its corporate workforce by 14,000 roles.
READ: Oracle layoffs 2026: 30,000 jobs cut, H-1B visa holders face race against time (April 2, 2026)
News of Oracle Corporation seeking to bring in foreign workers has triggered a wave of criticism on social media, particularly in the wake of its recent layoffs.
On Blind, an anonymous forum for verified professionals, one user described the H-1B filings as “a slap in our face.” The post added, “If this doesn’t make you angry, maybe you need to read some heartfelt posts on LinkedIn from Oracle employees who are U.S. citizens and have been laid off after working at Oracle for years.”
Another commenter echoed a broader frustration seen across the tech industry, writing, “Look at all big tech companies, they do massive layoffs then rehire at lower salary.”
“Transnational corporations are disloyal to the American state and the nation,” a third added.
Companies file H-1B petitions to seek approval from the U.S. government to hire foreign professionals, typically arguing that they are unable to find local candidates with the required skills. Employers often describe the visa program as critical to staying competitive in advanced technology fields, while critics contend it can put American workers at a disadvantage.
These filings are not always for new hires. Companies may also submit petitions to renew or extend existing H-1B visas.
The backlash this week intensified after Oracle Corporation, chaired by billionaire Larry Ellison, informed thousands of employees globally that Tuesday would be their last working day.
READ: IBM layoff spark offshoring claims after Oracle cuts in US, ‘not just H-1B, OPT’ (April 3, 2026)
“After careful consideration of Oracle’s current business needs, we have made the decision to eliminate your role as part of a broader organizational change,” read the email sent by “Oracle Leadership,” according to copies reviewed by Business Insider.
Affected employees were also told they would be “eligible to receive a severance package subject to the terms and conditions of the severance plan.”
Oracle Corporation’s latest round of layoffs comes at a time when the U.S. tech sector is seeing one of its weakest starts to the year in recent memory, with artificial intelligence increasingly linked to widespread job cuts.
In the first three months of 2026, about 52,050 tech employees lost their jobs, marking a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to a report released Thursday by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The firm noted that the growing adoption of AI is emerging as a key factor behind these reductions.
The trend is not limited to one company. In March, Meta signaled plans for significant layoffs, with reports indicating that around 20 percent of its workforce, roughly 15,000 employees, could be affected, according to Reuters.