Athira Sethu
Kochi, 9 October 2026
A number of key technology firms in the United States have been suspended from taking part in the labor certification process known as PERM. Some of the tech companies that have been suspended include Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini, as per the U.S. Department of Labor.
This follows an attempt by the Trump administration to scrutinize the recruitment of foreign workers and any potential misuse of the H-1B visa scheme.
The suspension of such firms may impact numerous Indian professionals based in the United States as many of them depend on their employer-sponsored green cards to become permanent residents in the country.
What Is the PERM Scheme?
PERM is an acronym for Program Electronic Review Management. It is a procedure managed by the U.S. Department of Labor through which employers can seek the authority to hire foreign nationals for permanent jobs.
In most employment-based green card applications, PERM has to be completed first before proceeding to subsequent steps in the process.
Employers typically have to prove that there are no other qualified and willing U.S. workers available for that particular job before hiring a foreign national permanently.
Why Is the US Halting These Companies’ Participation?
The move follows greater scrutiny regarding how companies are using the H-1B visa scheme to hire foreign workers.
The US government wants to check if the companies are following immigration regulations while hiring foreign workers.
Some big tech firms have a large number of Indian professionals working for them in the US. Consequently, any restrictions regarding PERM participation would create challenges for workers in obtaining green cards.
What Does This Mean for Indian IT Workers?
Indian workers who come to the US on H-1B visas and apply for green cards from their employers will be affected by this move.
PERM application process plays an important role in many green card applications. If the employer is unable to file PERM applications due to the suspension, then workers will face delays in their green card process.
But the suspension in PERM participation process will not automatically terminate an employee’s H-1B visa. The effects of this move would vary depending on individual cases.
What Will Follow?
Indian IT workers at the concerned firms can expect more announcements about this issue from the US government as well as their own companies.
The question is whether the ban on travel will result in delays in green card processes and have any effect on future plans of settling down in the USA.
As of now, employees should consult their company’s immigration department or an immigration attorney to learn what this might mean for them personally.
