Walmart recent announcement to eliminate approximately 1,500 corporate positions has sparked significant controversy, particularly concerning the company’s employment of H-1B visa holders. The layoffs, part of a broader restructuring strategy aimed at reducing costs and streamlining decision-making, have drawn criticism from various quarters, accusing the retail giant of favoring foreign workers over American employees.
The affected roles span across Walmart’s global technology operations, U.S. store e-commerce support, and its advertising division, Walmart Connect. While the company maintains that these cuts are aligned with its strategic business priorities and not directly related to external economic pressures, the decision has reignited debates over the H-1B visa program.
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Indians constitute a significant portion of H-1B visa holders, especially in the technology sector. Critics argue that companies, including Walmart, exploit this program to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. Social media platforms have been abuzz with users expressing concerns over job displacement and cultural integration within the workplace.
One user remarked, “The large layoffs today at Walmart… are from its technology team. You know, the kind of US worker who’s replaced by H-1B.” Another commented, “There should be strict rules – no citizen is laid off until all visa workers are let go. H1B or any visa was brought in to fill the gap, not to replace Americans.”
Further fueling the debate, some employees have voiced discomfort over workplace dynamics, alleging that the influx of H-1B workers has led to cultural enclaves that hinder integration. A comment from an internal forum stated, “They don’t even have the common respect to speak English while at the office.”
This controversy isn’t isolated to Walmart. In recent years, other tech companies have faced similar accusations. A notable case involved Cognizant, a New Jersey-based IT services firm, which was found by a jury to have discriminated against non-Indian workers, favoring Indian nationals through the H-1B program.
As the debate over the H-1B visa program continues, policymakers and industry leaders are under increasing pressure to address concerns about fair labor practices, job displacement, and the balance between leveraging global talent and protecting domestic employment opportunities.
