Vance warned that unless Microsoft hires more U.S. workers, the company will lose the ability to sponsor permanent visas for foreign employees. He said, “We’re not punishing Microsoft; we’re sending a clear message that American labor must come first.”
Trump’s ceremony, held at the White House the same morning, saw the president award Nadella the Presidential Technology Award, the country’s highest honour for tech leadership. Nadella, who has led Microsoft since 2014, accepted the medal amid applause from senior officials.
The timing was no coincidence. Vance’s wife, Usha, is the daughter of Indian immigrants from Andhra Pradesh, and Nadella was born in Hyderabad. Microsoft’s India Development Centre, opened in 1998, today employs 20,000 engineers in Hyderabad and stands as the largest R‑&‑D hub outside Redmond.
For a software engineer in Hyderabad, the dual messages mean a future where Indian talent may be seen as a commodity for U.S. firms, while a U.S. worker in Seattle hears that the company’s hiring practices will be scrutinised.
Vance said the administration will deny Microsoft residency applications until a formal plan to increase U.S. hires is submitted. Microsoft’s legal team is expected to file a response by the end of May, and the Department of Labor will issue new visa guidelines next month.