Archive · 9 Oct 2026
US Suspends IT Firms From Green Card Sponsorship Programme
The US government has stopped several large technology companies from using a process that can help foreign workers get permanent jobs and live in the United States.
The companies named include Indian firms such as Infosys, Tata, Wipro and HCL, as well as Cognizant and Capgemini.
Officials also said Microsoft and Adobe were suspended.
The government will not accept new applications or continue processing pending ones involving these companies.
The suspension does not cancel workers’ existing H-1B visas.
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the companies had requested millions of foreign workers over the years.
He accused them of taking jobs from Americans, while Vice-President JD Vance said the visa programme was meant for jobs that are difficult to fill with US workers.
Officials said investigations were a reason for the suspensions.
The articles do not include a response from the affected companies.
The United States suspended Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini from its Permanent Labor Certification Programme.
The announcement also identified Microsoft and Adobe as suspended, citing multiple active federal investigations.
The Department of Labor said it would accept no new or process pending applications involving the companies.
Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the firms had requested nearly three million foreign workers since 2009, with more than 230,000 H-1B approvals and over 100,000 labor certifications.
The action does not cancel employees’ existing H-1B visas; officials alleged the programme had been abused and jobs taken from American workers.
- Who
- The US Department of Labor, led in the announcement by Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, suspended several technology companies, including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe.
- What
- The companies were suspended from the Permanent Labor Certification Programme, and new or pending applications involving them will not be processed.
- When
- Thursday; the articles do not specify a calendar date for the announcement.
- Where
- United States.
- Why
- Officials cited investigations and alleged abuse of the programme and harm to American workers.
Administration’s concerns
Programme’s stated purpose
Use of the H-1B programme
Administration’s concerns
Sonderling alleged that the companies had taken hundreds of thousands of jobs from American workers, and JD Vance said the programme had become rife with fraud.
Programme’s stated purpose
Vance said the programme is intended to let US companies hire highly qualified people from abroad for positions that are impossible to fill with American workers.
Reason for the suspensions
Administration’s concerns
Officials said ongoing criminal investigations or multiple active federal investigations prompted the suspensions.
Programme’s stated purpose
The articles describe the labor certification process as a way for employers to seek permanent employment sponsorship after establishing that qualified, willing and available US workers are not available for a particular job.
- Programme
- Permanent Labor Certification Programme
- Companies listed in the suspension announcement
- Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini
- Additional companies identified as suspended
- Microsoft and Adobe
- Applications affected
- The Department of Labor said it would accept no new or process pending labor certification applications involving the companies.
- Figures cited by Sonderling
- Since 2009, the companies had requested almost three million foreign workers, received over 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and more than 100,000 permanent labor certifications.
- Effect on existing H-1B visas
- The action does not cancel employees’ existing H-1B visas.
- Official rationale
- Sonderling cited ongoing criminal investigations for the listed outsourcing firms and multiple active federal investigations for Microsoft and Adobe; he also accused the companies of taking jobs from American workers.
