In brief
The Trump administration has suspended the PERM program for eight U.S. technology firms, including giants such as Microsoft and Infosys, stalling the green‑card process for Indian tech professionals. The freeze is part of a broader effort to tighten skilled‑worker immigration and has already pushed companies to hire more local staff. While the impact on business operations may be low, many workers find themselves trapped in limbo, with children unsure whether to stay in the U.S. or move back to India. Amid rising anti‑Asian sentiment and new fee proposals, the move signals a tougher climate for global talent seeking residency in America.
An emergency order by the U.S. government has halted the approval of green‑card applications for employees of eight major technology firms, including Microsoft, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Wipro, and HCL Technologies.
The freeze targets the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM), the main visa pathway that Indian workers use to move from an H‑1B specialist visa to permanent residency. For years the PERM route has been the key step on the road to citizenship for many Indian engineers and software developers.
Technology firms are coping by hiring more locally based staff; for instance, Wipro now recruits more than 80 per cent of its U.S. workforce in‑country, and Tata’s PERM filings have dropped from hundreds to single digits in the past two years. Business analysts say the overall effect on company profitability is minimal, but the human impact is significant.
A senior employee with one of the affected firms explained that many people have already spent years living in the United States but their green‑card petitions have stalled. Even if they wish to return to India, their children feel reluctant to leave the life they have grown up with in Washington, reducing the number of viable options for their families.
The ban comes at a time of rising criticism of Asian immigrants in the United States. Reported incidents of online harassment toward Indian nationals have surged since the 2024 U.S. election, and the Vice President’s use of the phrase “foreign indentured servants” drew sharp condemnation from foreign‑policy officials in India.
While alternatives for permanent residency exist—such as exceptional‑talent visas or the $800,000 investment program for entrepreneurs—the waiting list for Indian applicants is now expected to stretch up to 179 years in some categories, according to the National Foundation for American Policy. Court challenges and shifting public opinion may influence how long the suspension remains in force.
