US Suspends Microsoft, Adobe and Major IT Firms from Green Card Programme
The United States has suspended Microsoft, Adobe and several major technology companies from a programme that allows skilled foreign workers to obtain permanent residency, citing alleged fraud and efforts to protect American jobs.
US Vice-President JD Vance announced the move on Thursday, alongside Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling, saying the government would stop processing new and pending applications under the Permanent Labour Certification Programme, known as PERM.
Other affected companies include Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.
The programme requires employers to demonstrate that there are no sufficiently qualified and available American workers for a position before sponsoring a foreign employee for a green card. Officials allege that some companies have manipulated the recruitment process to favour foreign workers over Americans.
Vance singled out Microsoft, criticising the company for laying off thousands of US workers while continuing to employ foreign workers through immigration programmes. He said the administration wanted major companies to prioritise American workers.
Microsoft defended its hiring practices, saying the vast majority of its US workforce are Americans. The company also stated that about 80 per cent of its roughly 6,000 H-1B visa applications in the previous fiscal year involved extending or changing the status of existing employees rather than recruiting new workers.
The suspension does not automatically cancel existing green cards or directly terminate current H-1B visas, which allow skilled foreign nationals to work temporarily in the United States. However, it could delay or block affected employees from obtaining permanent residency through their employers.
The decision marks an escalation of the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten skilled-worker immigration and scrutinise companies accused of disadvantaging American employees.
For thousands of foreign technology professionals, particularly workers from India employed by major IT outsourcing firms, the move could create fresh uncertainty over their long-term future in the United States.
