US Green Card Crackdown: Trump Govt Suspends PERM For TCS, Infosys, Microsoft

The US administration has suspended access to the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme for eight major IT companies, including Indian giants Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, and HCLTech, alongside US firms Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, and France's Capgemini. The move halts fresh filings and freezes pending applications for employment-based permanent residency, delaying Green Card pathways for foreign workers. US Vice President JD Vance stated the companies are under scrutiny over alleged visa fraud and replacing American personnel with foreign labour, calling on Congress to reform the H-1B visa framework. Responding to the suspension, TCS stated that the move would not impact its workforce strategy or client engagements, noting that its PERM applications had already been in single digits over the past two years. While existing approved PERM applications and valid H-1B visas remain unaffected, affected IT firms may evaluate alternative routes like L-1 intra-company transfers or increase hiring of American workers.