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Microsoft Says Most H-1B Filings Covered Existing Employees
Microsoft said most of its H-1B applications last fiscal year were for people who already worked there.
The company said about 80% of roughly 6,000 applications helped current employees extend or change their status.
It said the other applications were for people already living legally in the United States.
Microsoft said those filings equaled about 1% of its U.S. workforce.
The company also said it pays H-1B workers the same as others doing similar jobs.
Vice President J.D. Vance suspended Microsoft from a program that can help foreign workers seek green cards.
He accused the company of replacing American workers with H-1B workers.
Microsoft disputed that claim and said it would give the administration more information.
Microsoft said 80% of about 6,000 H-1B applications filed last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of current employees.
The company said its remaining filings were for people already legally in the United States, amounting to about 1% of its U.S. workforce.
Microsoft said it pays H-1B employees the same as colleagues doing comparable work and that its wages are among the highest in H-1B filings.
Vice President J.D. Vance suspended Microsoft from the Labor Department’s PERM program and accused it of abusing the system.
Vance said Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers while replacing them with 6,300 H-1B workers; Microsoft disputed that it was using the program to replace Americans.
- Who
- Microsoft and Vice President J.D. Vance.
- What
- Microsoft defended its H-1B filings after Vance suspended it from the PERM program and accused it of abusing the system.
- Where
- United States.
- When
- The statement and suspension were reported on October 9; the statement followed the suspension by hours.
- Why
- Vance said the suspension was part of a crackdown on alleged visa fraud and accused Microsoft of replacing American workers; Microsoft disputed that characterization.
Microsoft’s response
Vance’s allegations
Use of H-1B workers
Microsoft’s response
Microsoft said 80% of its roughly 6,000 filings were for current employees and that the remaining filings involved people already legally in the United States; it disputed using the program to replace Americans.
Vance’s allegations
Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the system and said it laid off 6,000 American workers while replacing them with 6,300 H-1B workers.
Workforce and compensation
Microsoft’s response
Microsoft said the vast majority of its U.S. employees are Americans and that H-1B employees receive the same pay as others doing comparable work.
Vance’s allegations
Vance said Microsoft should hire American workers and presented the alleged layoffs and H-1B hires as grounds for scrutiny.
Key facts
- H-1B applications
- Microsoft said it filed approximately 6,000 in the last fiscal year.
- Applications for existing employees
- Microsoft said 80% were to extend or change current employees’ status.
- Remaining filings
- Microsoft said these were for people already legally in the United States.
- Share of U.S. workforce
- Microsoft said the remaining filings equaled about 1% of its U.S. workforce.
- PERM suspension
- The suspension affects the Labor Department’s Permanent Labour Certification program, a step for many foreign workers seeking permanent residency.
- Vance’s allegation
- He said Microsoft laid off 6,000 American workers while replacing them with 6,300 H-1B workers.
- Microsoft’s response
- The company said it pays H-1B employees the same as comparable colleagues and would provide the administration with additional information.
Quotes
Microsoft
Technology company responding to allegations about its H-1B filings.
“We believe in the strength and talent of the American workforce. That is why the vast majority of Microsoft employees in the US are Americans. We look forward to providing the administration with additional information.”
livemint.com
“For example, of the approximately 6,000 H-1B visa applications we submitted in the last fiscal year, 80 per cent were to extend or change the status of existing Microsoft employees. These were not to hire new people.”
news18.com
livemint.com
theprint.in
Sources
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