Microsoft recently laid off several thousand American workers even as they applied for a number of H-1B visas to hire foreigners for engineering roles, provoking controversy as some Americans suggest they are replacing domestic software engineers with less expensive workers from overseas.

The technology company cut 7,000 workers, or roughly 3% of the overall workforce, two months ago, shortly before nixing another 9,000 employees, or 4% of the workforce, this past week. One spokesperson for Microsoft told the media that the move is meant to reduce managerial layers, while some noted that the layoffs were likely in part enabled by artificial intelligence.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” a statement from Microsoft said.