US Blocks Green Card Program for Big Tech Companies

The United States has suspended the Permanent Labor Certification Program, which enables H-1B visa holders to obtain green cards, for numerous companies including Indian tech giants and Western firms such as Microsoft and Adobe.

Suspension of the Program

The United States administration has made a significant decision regarding the Permanent Labor Certification Program, which allows green card applications for H-1B visa holders, and removed companies including major IT firms from this process.

This move has been recorded as a serious development directly affecting the operations and personnel management strategies of leading Indian technology sector giants and certain Western companies in the US.

List of Affected Companies

Among the companies affected by the decision are well-known Indian tech giants such as Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, and HCL, alongside global Western IT giants like Capgemini, Microsoft, and Adobe.

Authorities clearly announced that new applications from these specified companies will not be accepted and pending files will not be processed either.

Statements from Authorities

US Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated that this decision was made on the grounds that the practice in question reduces job opportunities for American citizens, and he was accompanied at the meeting by the head of the US Anti-Corruption Task Force.

United States Vice President JD Vance also harshly criticized giants like Microsoft for laying off American workers while simultaneously utilizing the H-1B and PERM programs in his assessment of the issue.

Industry Response

NASSCOM, the apex body of the Indian technology industry, issued a statement following the decision, expressing that Indian tech firms have significantly reduced their dependence on H-1B visas in recent times.

NASSCOM emphasized that the global mobility of skilled talent is of vital importance for the technology sector and economic growth.