The Trump administration has frozen green-card applications involving Microsoft, Adobe and several major information-technology companies as part of a widening crackdown on alleged fraud and the use of foreign-worker visa programmes.
US Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the suspension covers the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) process, which is a key step for employers seeking permanent residency for foreign workers. The affected companies include Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. The Labor Department said it would not accept new applications or process pending cases involving the targeted companies.
Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of misusing the H-1B system and criticised the company for laying off thousands of US workers while obtaining thousands of H-1B visas and green cards. Vance said the administration’s message to Microsoft was that the company must prioritise American workers. Microsoft has not immediately responded to the allegations.
The freeze does not appear to directly cancel existing H-1B visas. However, it could disrupt a major pathway to permanent residency for foreign technology workers whose employers sponsor them for green cards. Under PERM rules, companies generally must demonstrate that employing a foreign worker will not negatively affect US workers’ wages, working conditions or employment opportunities.
The administration has also launched investigations into nine prominent US universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford and MIT, over alleged misuse of exchange-visitor visas. Officials accuse institutions of using foreign workers or students in ways that could undercut American wages.
The latest measures represent a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration and labour policies, particularly toward the technology sector and companies that rely heavily on highly skilled foreign workers.
Indian IT companies are likely to face particular pressure because firms such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and HCL Technologies have historically been among the major users of the H-1B programme. The measures could therefore affect thousands of foreign technology professionals seeking long-term residency in the United States.
The crackdown comes as the administration argues that immigration programmes should protect American employment and wages, while technology companies have long maintained that skilled foreign workers are essential to filling specialised positions and maintaining US competitiveness.
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