“We are cutting off the head of the snake.”
— Keith Sonderling, U.S. Secretary of Labor, October 8, 2026
Those were the words of Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling as the Trump administration announced the suspension of eight major technology and IT services companies from the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program.
Microsoft. Tata Consultancy Services. Infosys. Cognizant. Wipro. HCL. Capgemini. Adobe.
The administration alleges that these companies have misused employment-based immigration programs, including practices that disadvantage American workers. The allegations do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by every company or sponsored employee.
What You Need to Know
What’s suspended: The Department of Labor will no longer accept new PERM applications or process pending applications involving these eight companies.
What is PERM? A critical step in obtaining employment-based green cards, particularly through EB-2 and EB-3 sponsorship.
What about H-1B workers? Existing H-1B visas are not automatically revoked. However, employees relying on these employers for green card sponsorship could face significant delays.
What remains unclear? How long the suspension will last, whether companies can challenge it, and how existing applications will ultimately be handled.
For thousands of foreign professionals, particularly those already navigating lengthy green card backlogs, this creates another layer of uncertainty.
If you’re affected: Confirm your PERM/I-140 status with your employer’s immigration counsel, especially if you’re approaching your six-year H-1B limit.
This is a developing story. We’ll update this post as further details emerge.
Sources: Reuters · The Indian Express
