Stories
Indian IT Firms Defend Hiring Practices as US Freezes Green Card Process
- •The US Department of Labor suspended eight tech giants including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, and Microsoft from the Permanent Labor Certification programme.
- •Nasscom defended the Indian IT industry, emphasizing increased local recruitment and reduced long-term dependence on H-1B visas.
- •Tata Consultancy Services stated that the US green card freeze will not impact its hiring plans, citing single-digit PERM applications over the past two years and a commitment to add 15,000 US employees.
- •US Vice President JD Vance and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated the suspension stems from active federal investigations into the alleged misuse of foreign-worker programmes.
Key Questions Answered
The US Department of Labor suspended eight technology companies from the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme, including Indian IT firms Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Cognizant, and Capgemini, alongside US firms Microsoft and Adobe.
TCS stated that the suspension would not materially impact its workforce strategy or client engagements, noting that its PERM applications were in the single digits over the past two years. The company reaffirmed its plan to hire 15,000 additional employees in the US over the next five years.
US Vice President JD Vance and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling cited active federal investigations into alleged misuse of foreign-worker programmes and worker displacement. The administration argued that programs should prioritize local American workers rather than replacing them with foreign staff.
