US Suspends Green Card PERM Processing for Microsoft and Seven Other Tech Giants

The United States government has suspended the processing of permanent labor certification applications, known as the PERM program, for eight major technology companies. The suspension, announced by the federal Anti-Fraud Task Force, affects Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Infosys Limited (NSE:INFY), Wipro Limited (NSE:WIPRO), Tata Consultancy Services, HCLTech, Cognizant, Capgemini, and Adobe. The Department of Labor will pause both new and pending PERM applications while federal officials investigate whether foreign hiring practices disadvantage American workers.

This regulatory action is a significant hurdle for global technology and IT services firms that rely heavily on international talent. Microsoft has drawn specific criticism from federal officials, who noted the company eliminated roughly 6,000 domestic jobs in 2025 while simultaneously securing over 6,000 H-1B visas and submitting 3,682 PERM filings. The pause threatens to disrupt long-term staffing plans and delay permanent residency pathways for thousands of foreign professionals, particularly Indian nationals who make up a large portion of employer-sponsored visa holders.

Investors and industry analysts will need to monitor the duration of these suspensions and the final outcomes of the federal investigations. Additionally, the administration is launching a separate multi-agency visa fraud strike team and investigating J-1 exchange visa usage at major academic institutions, signaling a broader, more demanding regulatory environment for skilled-worker immigration.