‘Indentured servants’: US green card move will hit thousands of IT workers

What the report says

The Trump administration has moved to suspend major technology companies from the U.S. Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) programme, a process that lets employers sponsor skilled foreign workers for green cards. Al Jazeera reported that the action affects firms including Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini, with Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling saying new and pending applications tied to those companies would not be processed.

Vice President JD Vance said the decision responds to what the administration sees as misuse of visa and residency pathways to hire lower-paid foreign workers and weaken opportunities for Americans. The White House also framed the move as part of a broader crackdown on immigration and alleged fraud in the hiring system. Microsoft rejected the implication that its filings displaced U.S. workers, saying most of its H-1B applications last year were for existing employees changing or extending status.

The shift could make it harder for thousands of foreign tech workers already in the U.S. to move from temporary visas, especially H-1B status, to permanent residency. Al Jazeera noted that Indian nationals make up a large share of the skilled foreign tech workforce and face long green-card backlogs because of annual caps and country limits. The policy adds another layer to an already contentious debate over how companies use temporary work visas and whether the system protects U.S. labor or depends on global talent.