Ex-Infosys CFO says US Green Card curbs will not hit Indians immediately

The US government's decision to suspend several major technology companies from sponsoring foreign employees for permanent residency has raised concerns among Indian professionals hoping to settle in America. But former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai believes the move is unlikely to have an immediate impact on workers, pointing to the long waiting period for employment-based Green Cards and a decline in visa-dependent hiring by these companies.Pai said the announcement should not be mistaken for a blanket suspension of Green Cards for employees working at the affected companies. Instead, it restricts employers from initiating or advancing the process for sponsoring workers under the Permanent Labour Certification Programme, known as PERM."The US has not suspended anybody from anything," Pai said in a video shared by news agency ANI. He explained that the restrictions concern companies sponsoring employees for permanent residency, rather than cancelling the existing immigration status of workers.#WATCH | Bengaluru | On US Green Card Program suspension for seven major tech firms, Former CFO, Infosys Mohandas Pai says, "The US has not suspended anybody from anything. What the US has said is that many companies, including Adobe and Microsoft, will not be able to sponsor Green Cards for their employees. Now, when you apply for a Green Card for permanent residency, you need to get a sponsor as an employer. There's a huge queue for getting a Green Card after people have been sponsored. It is taking 10 to 15 years for people to get a Green Card. So the US has said that we are going to suspend these companies from applying for Green Cards or endorsing people further. So it will not have any impact because it's very futuristic. And as it is, the number of people on visas by all these companies has gone down in the last three to four years."— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2026Under the PERM system, an employer generally has to obtain labour certification before proceeding with an employment-based Green Card application. The process involves establishing that hiring a foreign worker for a permanent position will not adversely affect American workers. The US administration has justified its action by alleging that foreign hiring by major technology and outsourcing companies has come at the expense of American employees. Pai argued that the immediate consequences could be limited because Indian professionals already face lengthy waits for permanent residency."There's a huge queue for getting a Green Card after people have been sponsored. It is taking 10 to 15 years for people to get a Green Card," he said, adding that the suspension was therefore unlikely to affect workers immediately. However, the distinction between an immediate impact and a longer-term problem is important. Employees whose employers have not yet filed their PERM applications could find themselves unable to begin the process of securing a place in the Green Card queue while the restrictions remain in force. For Indian professionals, who already face substantial backlogs, that could mean losing valuable time.TCS says US hiring plans remain unchangedTata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of the companies named in the US action, said it does not expect the suspension to affect its workforce plans or customer engagements.The company said its PERM applications had been in single digits over the past two years. It also reiterated its plan to hire an additional 15,000 people in the US over the next five years, building on its existing workforce across 31 offices and delivery centres in the country.TCS said its US workforce strategy focuses on hiring local talent, supported by campus recruitment, and that it would comply with any directions issued by the US Department of Labor.The company's response suggests that the restrictions may have a limited direct effect on its current hiring strategy. However, its position may not be representative of every affected company or employee, particularly those who were counting on employer sponsorship to secure permanent residency.Sridhar Vembu urges Indian tech workers to return homeIndians have made a major contribution to America's technological prowess. Yet, a big part of America no longer wants us. Indians who are on a visa in the US face the painful prospect of uprooting the life you have built with hard work. Let this be the birth pains of a bold new future. Come back, let's build India — Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) October 9, 2026The announcement has also triggered a broader debate about the future of Indian professionals in the US and whether the country should become a stronger alternative for technology workers.Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, said Indians had made a significant contribution to America's technological strength but were now facing uncertainty about their future there."Indians have made a major contribution to America's technological prowess. Yet, a big part of America no longer wants us," Vembu wrote.He acknowledged the difficulties faced by Indian workers who may have to leave behind the lives they have built in the US. He also urged them to consider returning to India and contributing to its growth."Let this be the birth pains of a bold new future. Come back, let's build India," he said.Vembu's remarks underline the wider concern surrounding the US immigration policy: beyond the immediate disruption to employer-sponsored Green Card applications, prolonged uncertainty could influence where skilled Indian professionals choose to build their careers.Why the suspension matters for IndiansThe US action covers major technology and IT services companies, including Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCLTech, Cognizant and Capgemini, along with Microsoft and Adobe. US officials have alleged misuse of foreign-worker programmes and claimed that American workers have been displaced.The restrictions do not mean that all Indian employees of these companies must leave the US or that existing Green Cards have been cancelled. Their impact depends on where each employee stands in the immigration process and the rules applicable to their case.The consequences could be more serious for workers who have yet to begin the employer-sponsored permanent residency process. Some H-1B visa holders also rely on specific immigration milestones to qualify for extensions beyond the normal six-year limit. Delays in starting the PERM process could complicate their options, depending on their circumstances.- Ends