Archive · 8 Oct 2026
US Suspends Major Tech Firms From PERM Green Card Programme
The US has paused a process that companies use when helping some foreign workers apply for green cards.
The process is called PERM.
The government says the pause is connected to an investigation into possible misuse of work and immigration programmes.
Vice President JD Vance announced action against Microsoft and said companies should hire more American workers.
The Labour Department named several other technology companies affected, including Infosys and Cognizant.
PERM is different from the H-1B visa, which lets skilled foreign workers work in the US temporarily.
The article says the pause does not automatically cancel green card cases that have already been approved.
But people hoping to begin new employer-sponsored applications may face uncertainty.
The United States suspended several technology companies from the PERM labour certification programme.
Vice President JD Vance announced the action against Microsoft, citing an ongoing investigation.
The Labour Department said the suspension also covers Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini and Adobe.
PERM is generally required before employers can sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency in certain employment-based green card categories.
The article says suspending new filings does not automatically cancel existing approved green card cases, but may create uncertainty for future applications.
- Who
- The US government; companies named include Microsoft, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini and Adobe.
- What
- Suspension of the companies from the PERM labour certification programme amid an investigation into alleged immigration-programme abuse.
- When
- Thursday, October 8, 2026, according to the article.
- Where
- United States.
- Why
- The administration cited an ongoing investigation and alleged abuse of labour and employment-based immigration programmes; JD Vance also called for companies to hire more American workers.
- Programme
- PERM (Program Electronic Review Management), a labour certification process used before sponsorship for certain employment-based green cards.
- Companies named
- Microsoft, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini and Adobe.
- Announced by
- US Vice President JD Vance announced the action against Microsoft.
- Government agency
- The US Labour Department said the suspension covers additional major IT companies.
- Investigation
- The article describes an ongoing investigation into alleged fraud or misuse of H-1B and employment-based labour programmes.
- H-1B distinction
- The H-1B is a temporary work visa; PERM is a labour certification process associated with certain permanent-residency applications.
- Existing cases
- The article says the suspension of new PERM filings does not automatically cancel existing approved green card cases.