The United States government under President Donald Trump has frozen green card applications involving major technology companies, including Microsoft and Adobe, as part of its widening crackdown on immigration.
The suspension also affects major IT companies such as Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.
US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling said the government would no longer accept new or process pending permanent labour certification applications involving the affected companies.
“We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labor certification applications involving these companies,” Sonderling said.
The administration said the move was aimed at tackling alleged visa fraud and protecting jobs for American workers.
Vice President JD Vance defended the decision, saying US companies should prioritise American workers.
“Our message to Microsoft is: You’re a great American company, but you’ve got to hire great American workers,” Vance said.
The affected process, known as PERM, is required for most employment-based green cards.
It requires employers to demonstrate that hiring foreign workers will not negatively affect the wages, working conditions or employment opportunities of US workers.
The freeze does not directly affect people who already hold H-1B visas, but it could delay or disrupt their path to permanent residency.
Indian technology companies, including Infosys, TCS, Wipro and HCL Technologies, are among major users of the H-1B visa programme.
Microsoft is also one of the largest filers of PERM applications, according to data cited by Reuters.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on skilled-worker immigration.
The administration has also introduced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions for workers hired from abroad.
Meanwhile, the administration has launched investigations into nine major US universities over their use of J-1 exchange visitor visas.
The institutions include Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Vance accused the universities of using the visa programme to bring in international students while undermining wages for American workers.
Labour Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito said the agency had issued subpoenas as part of the investigations.
“We will investigate whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are compromising federally funded research,” D’Esposito said.
The investigations add to the administration’s ongoing dispute with Harvard over international students and US immigration policies.
