White House blocks Microsoft from foreign worker hiring program

Microsoft and several other technology firms have been barred by the White House from hiring skilled international workers on a permanent basis through a widely used visa program.

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday accused Microsoft alongside other firms of committing fraud through the use of the H-1B visa programme and a related process for workers from abroad to become permanent US residents.

He explained that his reference to workers from abroad in such a way was due to the fact that, should they be fired or laid off from the company that sponsored their visa, they "have to leave" the US.