His remarks came after Microsoft announced voluntary buyout offers for about 60,000 employees and amid a federal suspension of the company’s employment-based green card processing. US Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito has issued a stern warning over the use of employment visa programs, saying employers must not undermine American workers.
The warning, however, comes amid increased scrutiny by the Donald Trump administration of employers’ use of foreign-worker visa programs and their hiring and layoff practices. Participation varies by organization and business priorities. The announcement came as Microsoft continued investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure. D’Esposito’s post quoted a social media post, which cited an alleged internal question-and-answer session involving Guthrie, Microsoft’s executive vice president for Cloud + AI. The authenticity of this clip could not be independently verified. The PERM program is a key step in the employment-based green card process.
Microsoft announced a voluntary exit offer on October 26 for eligible employees in participating teams across the United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The program is available to eligible employees at level 70 and below, according to the company’s official announcement . The administration announced a suspension of permanent labor certification processing involving Microsoft and seven other employers on October 8.
The company said the offer would provide financial support and career-planning resources to employees considering leaving. The company has not said how many employees will accept the offer or how many visa holders could be affected. Guthrie told employees Microsoft wanted to bring more talent into the United States, would continue sponsoring visa and green card holders, and was working with the administration to obtain clarity on immigration-related decisions, according to that post.
