Stories
US Suspends Green Card Step for Major Tech Firms Amid Crackdown
- •The US Department of Labour suspended eight major tech firms including TCS, Microsoft, and Infosys from the Permanent Labour Certification program.
- •US officials criticized the companies over foreign worker practices, halting new and pending PERM applications indefinitely.
- •TCS stated the suspension will have no impact on its workforce strategy, noting its PERM applications were in single digits recently.
- •Industry body Nasscom emphasized that Indian firms have reduced reliance on H-1B visas and expanded local hiring in the US.
- •Immigration experts note that while H-1B holders can still work, employees nearing the six-year limit without a pending PERM face the highest risk.
Key Questions Answered
The US Department of Labour suspended eight firms from the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme on October 8, 2026, including TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant, Capgemini, Microsoft, and Adobe.
TCS stated that it will comply with Department of Labor directives and noted that its PERM applications were in the single digits over the past two years. The company does not expect the action to impact its workforce strategy, customer engagements, or its five-year plan to hire 15,000 people in the US.
The action is not a blanket H-1B suspension, meaning employees with valid status can still live and work in the US. However, workers whose employers cannot file a PERM face risks if they are nearing their six-year H-1B limit without a pending PERM or approved I-140.
