1 hr ago
US Green Card Freeze Tests India-US Partnership
The US has stopped eight companies from filing certain applications that can help workers get green cards.
Four of those companies are large Indian technology firms.
The workers can still have H-1B visas, but the path toward permanent residency may be delayed.
US officials say the action is connected to concerns about jobs and hiring practices.
The article says the government has not publicly made a specific accusation against the four Indian firms.
Its author thinks the decision may also be influenced by politics.
The author says India should stand up for its workers and be careful about how it cooperates with the US.
The article suggests India could slow cooperation that mainly helps America, while keeping cooperation that benefits India.
It warns that worsening public opinion could make the partnership harder to sustain.
The US Labour Department suspended new and pending PERM applications from eight companies, including four major Indian IT firms.
The article says H-1B visas remain valid, but affected workers’ route toward employer-sponsored permanent residency is blocked while the suspensions last.
Vice President JD Vance cited alleged Microsoft filings involving jobs recently lost by Americans and lower pay for outsourced workers; the article says no specific charge against the four Indian firms has been made public.
The author argues the suspensions, announced before the US midterm elections, may reflect political as well as enforcement considerations.
The opinion piece urges India to protect its workers while selectively using cooperation valued by Washington as leverage, rather than reducing security cooperation that serves India’s own interests.
- Who
- The US Labour Department suspended PERM applications from eight companies, including TCS, Infosys, Wipro and HCL; affected workers include many Indians.
- What
- The department stopped accepting new PERM applications from the companies and paused processing pending applications.
- Where
- United States; the announcement was made at a White House briefing.
- When
- The suspension was announced on a Thursday; the article also notes an earlier Cognizant suspension announcement on 8 September.
- Why
- US officials cited alleged hiring and labour-market concerns; the author argues the action may also have political motivations.
US enforcement rationale
Author's political critique
Reason for suspending applications
US enforcement rationale
JD Vance cited alleged PERM filings for jobs recently lost by American workers and claimed outsourced workers earn less than comparable Americans.
Author's political critique
The author says no specific public charge has been made against the four Indian firms and argues the timing and announcement raise the possibility of political motives.
India's response
US enforcement rationale
The US administration's stated position, as presented in the article, is that the action addresses alleged misuse of the programme and concerns about American workers.
Author's political critique
The author argues India should speak up for its workers and use leverage selectively, while not cutting security cooperation that primarily benefits India.
Key facts
- Programme
- PERM is described as the first step in employer-sponsored green card applications.
- Companies affected
- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Cognizant, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe.
- Application status
- No new applications will be accepted from the eight companies, and pending applications will not be processed.
- Duration
- The article says no end date for the suspensions has been announced.
- H-1B visas
- The article says existing H-1B visas remain valid, although the PERM route to permanent residency is blocked.
- Vance's allegation
- JD Vance said nearly 1,000 of Microsoft's 3,682 PERM applications involved jobs from which American workers had been laid off.
- Author's recommendation
- Defend Indian workers and selectively use cooperation valued by the US as leverage, while preserving cooperation that serves India's interests.
Quotes
S. Jaishankar
India’s External Affairs Minister
“the economics of mobility and the politics of mobility are at odds”
NDTV
“should not be so self-centred”
NDTV
Sources
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