The Trump administration has suspended eight of the world’s largest technology employers from the US permanent labour certification programme, blocking them from sponsoring foreign workers for employment-based green cards in what officials described as a crackdown on immigration fraud.
The companies named are Tata, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe. US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling confirmed the government would halt both new applications and pending cases filed through the PERM programme, which employers generally must complete before sponsoring foreign workers for permanent residency. “We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies,” Sonderling said according to Reuters.
The suspension does not automatically cancel H-1B visas already held by employees, nor does it revoke green cards already granted. But it creates an open-ended block on the permanent residency pipeline for workers at those firms who depend on employer sponsorship. Authorities have not said how many employees are affected or when the restrictions might be lifted.
Vice President JD Vance singled out Microsoft in particular at a White House news conference, alleging the company had laid off 6,000 American workers last year while simultaneously obtaining 6,300 H-1B visas and nearly 3,000 green cards.
“If you do the math, for every worker that Microsoft laid off, they replaced that worker with one and a half foreign indentured servants,” Vance said, according to AP. The allegations have not been established as formal findings of wrongdoing.
The action lands heavily on Indian technology professionals, who account for a large share of H-1B visa approvals each year. Indian IT companies have long been among the biggest participants in the US technology services market, placing thousands of workers in software development and consulting roles.
The suspension was announced as part of a broader immigration enforcement push that also drew in universities. Vance said nine institutions, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, would face investigations into alleged misuse of programmes governing international students and exchange visitors.
Labour Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said subpoenas had already been issued. The move came a day after the administration proposed a $70,000 fee on universities that recommend international students for post-graduation employment under the Optional Practical Training scheme, a measure that has not yet taken effect.
