France 24 · 9 Oct, 08:50 · Business briefing

Business - US targets Microsoft, Adobe in new visa crackdown

The United States has initiated a new crackdown on work visas, specifically targeting major technology firms such as Microsoft and Adobe.

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

The United States has initiated a new crackdown on work visas, specifically targeting major technology firms such as Microsoft and Adobe. This regulatory shift aims to tighten restrictions on H-1B and other employment-based visas, potentially limiting the ability of these corporations to hire foreign talent. The move reflects broader political efforts to prioritise domestic employment opportunities. For the tech sector, this signals increased scrutiny of hiring practices and a likely reduction in the availability of skilled international workers. Professionals should note that this development could lead to longer recruitment cycles and heightened competition for remaining visa slots, fundamentally altering the landscape for global talent acquisition in the US market.

Employer demand for Human Resources skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This regulatory shift significantly alters the competitive landscape for tech roles. If you work in recruitment or HR, you must now prioritise compliance expertise and domestic talent pipelines. For individual contributors, emphasising local certifications and transferable skills becomes critical. You should focus on mastering niche technical areas that are harder to fill domestically, such as advanced data architecture or specific cloud infrastructure. Upskilling in areas like compliance and governance will make you indispensable to firms navigating these new legal constraints. Furthermore, consider diversifying your geographic career options, as other markets may become more attractive. Proactively updating your LinkedIn profile to highlight local experience and regulatory knowledge will help you stand out. Finally, network aggressively within domestic professional circles to bypass traditional global hiring bottlenecks.

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Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

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