Washington, October 8: The administration of US President Donald Trump has taken a significant step regarding the Green Card process for skilled foreign workers.
The US government has suspended certain Green Card applications associated with Microsoft, Adobe, and several other major IT companies.
The government has accused these companies of misusing regulations and harming the employment prospects of American workers.
This move comes at a time when the Trump administration is already tightening its grip on US skilled worker immigration programs.
Which companies have been targeted?
US Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated that, in addition to Microsoft and Adobe, the suspension covers companies such as Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini.
He announced that the government will currently neither accept nor process new or pending Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications from these companies.
The PERM process is one of the primary pathways to obtaining an employment-based Green Card in the US. Under this process, companies must demonstrate that hiring foreign workers will not negatively impact the wages, working conditions, or employment opportunities of American workers.
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JD Vance’s significant statement regarding Microsoft
US Vice President JD Vance remarked that while Microsoft is a vital American company, it needs to focus more on hiring American workers.
Vance said, “Microsoft is a great American company, but it should also hire the best American workers.” The government states that this action has been taken with the aim of protecting employment opportunities for American citizens.
No direct impact on H-1B visas
This decision does not directly affect current H-1B visa holders. The H-1B visa allows companies to hire skilled foreign workers in the US on a temporary basis.
However, the halt in the PERM process could create difficulties for employees whom their companies intend to sponsor for future permanent residency—that is, a Green Card.
Indian IT companies such as Infosys, TCS, Wipro, and HCL have long been major users of H-1B visas.
Concerns regarding the impact on Indian IT workers
A large number of H-1B visa holders in the US come from India. Consequently, the freeze on PERM applications could affect Indian IT professionals, particularly those who have been working in the US for a long time and are currently in the Green Card process.
According to data from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, major employers of H-1B beneficiaries in the 2026 fiscal year included Amazon, TCS, Infosys, Apple, and Microsoft.
Nine major universities also under scrutiny
The Trump administration has not limited its actions to IT companies alone. Vice President JD Vance stated that the government would also investigate nine major American universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and MIT.
The government alleges that some universities are misusing J-1 exchange visitor visas and, by employing foreign students or staff, are impacting the wages of American workers.
U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito stated that investigations into these matters have commenced and summonses have been issued to certain universities.
Trump administration is already tightening immigration programs.
This action is part of the Trump administration’s increasingly stringent measures regarding skilled worker immigration programs. Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor launched an enforcement initiative known as ‘Project Firewall.’
Additionally, a decision was made to impose a one-time fee of $100,000 on new H-1B applications for employees working abroad.
These new measures make it clear that the Trump administration intends to increase corporate accountability and scrutiny regarding the hiring of foreign skilled workers and the processes for their permanent residency.
