US Visa Crackdown 2026: Green Card Changes Explained for Africans in US Tech

The United States has widened restrictions on work visas and green-card sponsorships, and the move is being watched closely by Africans in tech and study-abroad circles.

The change is not a total ban on visas. It targets how some big tech companies move foreign workers from temporary status to permanent residency.

What changed in simple terms

On October 8, 2026, the US Department of Labor announced it is suspending several major companies from the Permanent Labor Certification program, known as PERM. Vice President JD Vance said the suspension follows an investigation into alleged fraud.

The affected companies include Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini, according to a Reuters report published via MarketScreener and AP.

Under the order, the Labor Department will not accept any new PERM applications or process pending ones for those companies.

PERM is not a visa itself. It is a first step that US employers must take before sponsoring a foreign worker for an employment-based green card. The employer has to prove that hiring the foreign worker will not hurt US workers' wages or job opportunities.

Vance accused the companies of laying off American workers while continuing to bring in thousands of workers on H-1B visas and then sponsoring them for green cards. Microsoft disputed the claim, saying about 80% of its H-1B filings in the last fiscal year were to extend or change the status of existing employees, not new hires.

In the same announcement, the administration said it is opening investigations into nine top universities, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, for alleged misuse of J-1 exchange-visitor visas. No universities have been suspended yet.

This comes after earlier moves to raise scrutiny on H-1B petitions, including a proposal for a $100,000 fee on some new filings that has been challenged in court.

Why African workers and students may care

Africans are a growing share of foreign talent in US tech. Many Nigerians, Kenyans, Ghanaians and South Africans in the US are on H-1B status, often after completing a US master's degree on an F-1 student visa with Optional Practical Training (OPT).

If an employer is suspended from PERM, that worker cannot start the green-card process through that employer until the suspension is lifted. Their H-1B status may continue, but the path to permanent residency stalls. For workers close to the end of their H-1B six-year limit, that uncertainty can affect long-term plans.

For students, increased scrutiny of J-1 and F-1 routes and higher employer costs could mean fewer sponsorships, tighter documentation checks at embassies, and longer waiting times. Study circles in Lagos, Nairobi and Accra are already discussing backup study destinations like Canada, the UK and Germany.

It does not mean all African applicants will be denied. The suspension is company-specific, not nationality-specific.

The difference between visas, study routes and green cards

1. H-1B visa: A temporary work visa that lets a US company employ a skilled foreign worker for up to 6 years. It does not give permanent residency.
2. PERM Labor Certification: A Department of Labor approval that an employer needs before applying for a green card for a worker. This is what was suspended.
3. Green Card (Permanent Residency): Allows a person to live and work permanently in the US. Employment-based green cards usually need PERM first.
4. F-1 and J-1 visas: F-1 is for full-time academic study. J-1 is for exchange programs, research scholars and some university teaching. Students often use F-1 plus OPT to work briefly before needing an H-1B.

In simple terms: H-1B gets you in, PERM starts the process to let you stay permanently, and a green card is the permanent stay.

Where to check

Applicants should not rely on social media summaries. Check the original Reuters report via MarketScreener, the Associated Press report on the Labor Department announcement, and the official US Department of Labor and USCIS websites for PERM and visa updates.

This situation is still developing, and timelines for lifting the suspensions have not been announced. Anyone affected should speak with an immigration attorney and their employer's immigration team.