US freezes green-card filings for 8 tech firms, including 4 from India
Why it matters: The move leaves H-1B workers untouched for now but could raise staffing costs and derail permanent residency plans.
The Trump administration halted new and pending permanent residency filings under the PERM labor certification program for eight technology companies, including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant and Capgemini. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the suspension followed alleged abuse of the immigration system. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the restrictions could hurt eligible workers seeking green cards, though existing H-1B visa holders are not affected. NASSCOM said the crackdown targets permanent immigration rather than temporary work visas. Analysts told Channel News Asia the near-term business impact may be limited, but a prolonged freeze could increase US hiring costs and make it harder for firms to retain workers hoping to settle in America.