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Microsoft workers worried about their green cards should first find out exactly where their employer-sponsored case stands. Axios reported on October 9, 2026, that the administration said it would stop accepting new PERM labor-certification applications from Microsoft and seven other companies and halt processing applications already in the pipeline. That is a serious reported disruption to one step in some employment-based green-card cases—but it is not, by itself, an announcement that H-1B status or an approved green card has been canceled. The scope and implementation remain unsettled.
What was announced—and what is actually established
Axios reported on October 9, 2026, that the administration said the Department of Labor (DOL) would suspend Microsoft, Adobe, and six other companies from the PERM labor-certification program. The report described the action as covering both new PERM applications and applications already in the processing pipeline. The previous day, Axios explained that the measure targeted PERM, a step used in many employer-sponsored green-card cases, rather than the H-1B program itself.
At an October 8 press conference, Vice President JD Vance said, as quoted by Axios: “Our message to Microsoft is not that we want to harm your company; it’s that we want your company to thrive, but we want it to thrive by employing and empowering your fellow Americans.” That statement describes the administration’s message; it does not answer how DOL will implement the reported suspension in particular cases.
The available reporting does not establish a written DOL notice defining the action’s duration, the entities covered, or its treatment of every case stage. It also does not establish a court ruling. Until agency instructions clarify those issues, the reported scope should not be treated as a complete, case-by-case legal determination.
Does the PERM suspension cancel an H-1B or green card?
No automatic cancellation is established by the announcement. PERM is an employer labor-certification process; H-1B is a separate nonimmigrant status. The report does not say that the H-1B program is suspended or that existing H-1B visas are revoked. Nor does the reported action itself announce the cancellation of an approved I-140, an employment authorization document (EAD), a pending I-485 adjustment-of-status application, or permanent residence that has already been approved.
Reddy Neumann Brown’s contemporaneous attorney FAQ says the announcement does not appear to impose a blanket bar on otherwise eligible I-485 filings and does not automatically invalidate existing H-1B status, an EAD, or an I-140 approval. That is an attorney interpretation of a new announcement, not written DOL guidance or an opinion about any individual file. The effect on a worker’s options depends on the actual notices, deadlines, eligibility, and agency instructions that apply to that person.
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Why the stage of your case matters
“Green-card case” can refer to several separate steps. A reported pause at PERM does not answer every question about a case that has already moved beyond PERM, or one where PERM has not yet been filed. Identify each filing and decision rather than relying on a general description of your employer’s process.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Case stage | What to establish | Why it matters now |
|---|---|---|
| PERM has not started | Whether the employer began recruitment or other preparation, and whether an application was actually filed | The reported action concerns PERM applications, but the available reporting does not establish what employers may do at each preparatory step. |
| PERM is pending | The filing date, case number, and any DOL correspondence | Axios reported that applications already in the pipeline would not be processed. The duration and case-specific implementation are not established in the sources reviewed. |
| PERM was certified | The certification notice, validity dates, and whether an I-140 was filed | The available reporting does not explain how the suspension treats already certified PERMs. Do not assume either that certification is erased or that every next step is unaffected. |
| I-140 was filed or approved | The petition, approval or receipt notice, priority date, and any related employer or job-change history | An I-140 is a separate petition stage. The reported announcement does not itself say that existing I-140 approvals are revoked; your next options still depend on your facts and eligibility. |
| I-485 is pending | The receipt notice and filing date, whether the I-140 is approved, and the current case status | Some employment-based adjustment applicants may qualify for job portability, but only if the statutory requirements are met. |
| Permanent residence is approved | Your approval notice and current immigration documents | The reported announcement does not say that approved permanent residence is canceled. |
These stages can overlap with a worker’s separate nonimmigrant status. Keep the current status and expiration date visible alongside the green-card records; a pending or approved employment-based filing should not be treated as a substitute for checking status-specific requirements.
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Can you change jobs if your I-140 or I-485 is filed?
Some employment-based adjustment applicants have a portability option under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). USCIS describes the rule as applying to certain applicants whose I-485 has been pending for at least 180 days and who have an approved I-140, if the new job is in the same or a similar occupational classification. This is a limited rule, not general permission to change jobs without consequences.
Whether it applies depends on the person’s case history and the proposed role. The Department of State also explains that employment-based immigrant visa categories differ; some require an employer job offer, an I-140, and labor certification. Category, priority date, visa availability, and filing history can all matter. Do not resign, transfer employers, or file a form based solely on a general account of the announcement; ask an immigration attorney to evaluate the specific case first.
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What Microsoft’s reported H-1B figures do—and do not—show
Axios reported that Microsoft said 80% of approximately 6,000 H-1B applications in the last fiscal year were extensions or changes of status for existing employees, rather than applications for new hires. This is Microsoft’s reported statement, not an independently audited finding. It provides context about the company’s reported H-1B filings; it does not establish how the PERM action will affect a particular employee or change H-1B rules.
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| Figure | What it measures | Attribution and period |
|---|---|---|
| Nearly 140,000 | PERM applications certified | U.S. Department of Labor, fiscal year 2025, as reported by Axios in 2026 |
| Nearly 118,000 | New PERM applications filed | U.S. Department of Labor, fiscal year 2025, as reported by Axios in 2026 |
| 22% decline | Decrease in new PERM filings from the prior fiscal year | U.S. Department of Labor, fiscal year 2025, as reported by Axios in 2026 |
What to gather and ask an immigration attorney
Before making a consequential decision, collect the documents and dates that show your actual case history. An attorney familiar with employment-based immigration can then assess what the reported suspension reaches and whether any deadline or planned action needs attention.
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- PERM-related records, including whether an application was filed, its filing date, and any certification or DOL correspondence.
- I-140 receipt and approval notices, priority date, and any related employer communications.
- I-485 receipt notice and filing date, current case status, and any EAD or advance-parole documents.
- Current nonimmigrant status, approval notices, and expiration dates.
- Any planned job change, travel, extension, or filing, with its expected date.
Ask counsel which stage is affected by the reported action, whether any filing or status deadline is approaching, and whether a proposed job change meets the requirements for portability. Also ask how visa availability and your employment-based category affect the next step. Do not treat this list as a recommendation to file, travel, change jobs, or leave a position.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Questions the announcement has not resolved
The reporting available on October 9, 2026 does not establish the suspension’s duration; exactly which subsidiaries or successor employers are covered; how DOL will treat already certified PERMs or pending I-140s; or the precise implementation for each case stage. It also does not establish a written DOL notice or a court ruling. Those details require authoritative clarification. Attorney commentary can help identify issues to discuss, but it cannot replace agency instructions or a review of an individual’s records.
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