Earlier this month, the United States declared a pause on new and pending applications under the Permanent Labor Certification Program, commonly known as PERM, for eight major tech companies. This list includes industry giants such as Microsoft, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, and HCL Technologies. This program allows employers to hire skilled foreign workers permanently and is a key pathway to obtaining a green card.
### Effects on Indian Workers
This decision may have significant consequences for Indian workers, who make up the majority of individuals holding H-1B visas for skilled jobs. For many of these workers, the PERM process is a crucial step on the journey from a temporary work visa to permanent residency, and eventually, U.S. citizenship.
Recent statistics from the National Foundation for American Policy reveal that by December 2025, almost one million Indian nationals were awaiting employment-based green cards, making up 79% of all pending applications. The organization predicts that for highly skilled Indian workers submitting applications from January 2026, waiting times could stretch anywhere from five to 179 years, depending on their visa category.
### Impact on Companies
Industry group Nasscom noted that Indian technology firms have already started reducing their dependency on H-1B visas by hiring more employees locally in the United States. For instance, Wipro has stated that over 80% of its workforce in the U.S. was hired locally, while Tata Consultancy Services mentioned that, in the last two years, it has submitted very few PERM applications. Microsoft has indicated that its H-1B applications are mainly for keeping existing employees rather than bringing in new talent.
An anonymous source from one of the affected companies commented that while this restriction would not cripple the business, it would significantly affect employees whose green card applications are stuck in limbo. Experts point out that options for alternative paths to permanent residency are limited, noting that the EB-5 route, for example, requires a hefty investment of at least $800,000 in qualifying U.S. businesses.
