US freezes green card route for Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL, Microsoft
The United States has suspended several major technology and IT outsourcing companies from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme (PERM), a key step in the employment-based green card process, in a move that could affect thousands of foreign workers, including Indian IT professionals.
The companies named by US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling include Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.
The Labour Department also suspended Microsoft and Adobe, citing multiple ongoing federal investigations.
No new or pending PERM applications
Sonderling said the Labour Department would not accept new or process pending permanent labour certification applications involving the suspended companies.
The PERM process generally requires an employer to demonstrate that there are no qualified, willing and available US workers for the position before proceeding with most employment-based green card applications.
US accuses firms of displacing American workers
Announcing the move alongside Vice President JD Vance, Sonderling alleged that the companies had made extensive use of foreign-worker programmes at the expense of American workers.
He said that since 2009, the companies targeted by the action had collectively requested nearly three million foreign workers, received more than 230,000 H-1B approvals and obtained over 100,000 permanent labour certifications.
The figures and allegations were presented by US officials as justification for the suspension; the affected companies had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
JD Vance singles out Microsoft
Vance particularly criticised Microsoft, alleging that the company had laid off thousands of American workers while continuing to use H-1B visas and file PERM applications.
He described the H-1B workers targeted by his criticism as “foreign indentured servants” and accused companies that rely heavily on the programme of operating as “visa mills.”
The administration's claims about individual companies are allegations and have not been independently established as findings of wrongdoing.
Indian IT workers could face green card delays
The decision is significant for Indian technology professionals because Indian nationals account for a large share of H-1B beneficiaries and many employment-based green card applicants work in the IT sector.
For workers whose employers are affected, the suspension could disrupt or delay the PERM stage of their permanent-residency process.
However, the action does not mean that every existing H-1B worker at these companies has lost H-1B status or that every existing green card case has automatically been cancelled.
The specific impact depends on the stage of each individual's immigration case.
J-1 visa programmes at universities also under scrutiny
The administration also announced investigations into nine US universities over alleged misuse of J-1 exchange-visitor visas.
Vance accused universities of using the programme to undercut wages for American graduate students and researchers.
Labour officials said subpoenas had already been issued as part of the investigations.
The latest action represents another escalation in the Trump administration's broader scrutiny of H-1B, J-1 and employment-based immigration programmes.
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