The United States on Thursday suspended eight major technology and IT services companies — including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe — from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme (PERM), a key stage in the process through which foreign workers, including H-1B visa holders, obtain employment-based green cards.
Sweeping suspension
US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling announced the move alongside Vice-President J.D. Vance and the head of the US Anti-Fraud Task Force. "I am hereby suspending from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme some of the largest IT outsourcing firms in the world, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini," Sonderling said, adding that the department was also suspending Microsoft and Adobe.
"We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labour certification applications involving these companies," he said. According to the Labour Department, these companies alone have requested almost three million foreign workers since 2009, receiving over 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and over 100,000 permanent labour certifications. "That's hundreds of thousands of jobs that were taken from American workers," Sonderling said. Vance accused the companies of misusing employment-visa programmes and said Microsoft had benefited heavily from the programmes while laying off thousands of American workers.
India pushes back
India on Friday rejected remarks by Vice-President Vance describing foreign tech workers as "indentured servants", with the Ministry of External Affairs calling the descriptions unwarranted and deeply offensive and noting that Indian professionals in the US are highly educated, skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem.
Industry body Nasscom said immigration and skilled talent mobility were "two distinct issues" that should not be viewed through the same lens, describing the suspension as temporary and noting that Indian technology companies had significantly reduced their dependence on H-1B visas while expanding local hiring in the US. Reuters noted that Meta, Amazon and Google remain free to participate in the programme. The move follows the Trump administration's earlier bid to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, which has been blocked by federal court orders.
Sources:
- The Hindu: Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro and HCL among IT firms suspended from U.S. green card programme
- Indian Express: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini hit by US green card crackdown
Sweeping suspension
US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling announced the move alongside Vice-President J.D. Vance and the head of the US Anti-Fraud Task Force. "I am hereby suspending from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme some of the largest IT outsourcing firms in the world, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, and Capgemini," Sonderling said, adding that the department was also suspending Microsoft and Adobe.
"We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labour certification applications involving these companies," he said. According to the Labour Department, these companies alone have requested almost three million foreign workers since 2009, receiving over 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and over 100,000 permanent labour certifications. "That's hundreds of thousands of jobs that were taken from American workers," Sonderling said. Vance accused the companies of misusing employment-visa programmes and said Microsoft had benefited heavily from the programmes while laying off thousands of American workers.
India pushes back
India on Friday rejected remarks by Vice-President Vance describing foreign tech workers as "indentured servants", with the Ministry of External Affairs calling the descriptions unwarranted and deeply offensive and noting that Indian professionals in the US are highly educated, skilled contributors to its economy and innovation ecosystem.
Industry body Nasscom said immigration and skilled talent mobility were "two distinct issues" that should not be viewed through the same lens, describing the suspension as temporary and noting that Indian technology companies had significantly reduced their dependence on H-1B visas while expanding local hiring in the US. Reuters noted that Meta, Amazon and Google remain free to participate in the programme. The move follows the Trump administration's earlier bid to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions, which has been blocked by federal court orders.
Sources:
- The Hindu: Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro and HCL among IT firms suspended from U.S. green card programme
- Indian Express: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini hit by US green card crackdown
