Oracle Corporation is facing mounting criticism after carrying out widespread layoffs while continuing to pursue thousands of foreign worker visas, highlighting escalating tensions in the technology sector.
According to reporting by New York Post, the company submitted approximately 3,126 petitions for H-1B visas across fiscal years 2025 and 2026, including 436 filings in 2026 already. The H-1B program allows American companies to employ foreign workers in specialized fields, particularly in technology and engineering roles.
The scrutiny intensified this week when Oracle notified thousands of employees worldwide that their roles were being eliminated as part of what the company described as a broader organizational restructuring. Copies of the termination email, reviewed by Business Insider, indicated that affected workers would be offered severance packages in accordance with company policy.
The timing of the layoffs—occurring alongside ongoing visa applications—has fueled backlash, particularly on professional forums and social media. On Blind, a platform commonly used by verified employees to discuss workplace issues anonymously, some users characterized the company’s actions as contradictory, arguing that domestic job cuts appeared to conflict with efforts to bring in foreign talent.
The debate reflects a broader concern within the tech industry, where companies often use H-1B visas to cut costs and address what they describe as talent shortages. Critics argue that firms use visa programs to hire at a fraction of the cost of American workers, and Americans are often required to train their foreign replacements.
Oracle is not alone in this controversy. Amazon, for example, filed roughly 2,675 H-1B petitions over the same two-year period, even as it announced significant workforce reductions, including tens of thousands of corporate positions in multiple rounds of layoffs.
The controversy comes amid a broader downturn in technology sector employment. Data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas shows that the first quarter of 2026 saw 52,050 job cuts in the tech industry, a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2025. This marks the most severe start to a year for tech layoffs since 2023, underscoring the volatility facing the sector.
As layoffs continue and companies adjust to shifting economic conditions, the intersection of domestic job losses and international hiring is likely to remain central. Policymakers, workers, and industry leaders are increasingly being forced to confront difficult questions about how companies allocate jobs, manage costs, and compete for talent in an increasingly globalized economy.
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