00:14A major shake-up is underway in the U.S. immigration system with some of the
00:20world's biggest technology and IT companies now suspended from a key
00:25green card process. The U.S. has suspended several major companies from the PERM
00:31Labor Certification Program, a crucial step employers use when seeking permanent
00:36residency for foreign workers, including those on H-1B visas. And the list includes
00:42some of the biggest names in the Indian IT industry. Enfasis, Tata, Wipro, HCL, and
00:50Cognizant are among the companies covered by the suspension, along with Microsoft,
00:55Capgemini, and Adobe. The move comes as the U.S. investigates what officials
01:01describe as alleged abuse of H-1B and labor programs. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance
01:08announced the action against Microsoft, accusing the company of abusing the
01:13program and arguing that American workers should receive greater hiring
01:17opportunities. Vance said the decision followed an ongoing investigation. He
01:23also argued that companies benefiting from the U.S. economy should be hiring more
01:27American workers. According to the statement shared by the Associated Press,
01:33Vance said the suspension means Microsoft would no longer be able to take H-1B
01:37workers and apply for permanent resident status through the PERM process. That is
01:43significant because PERM is an important part of the employment-based green card
01:48pathway for foreign workers. For H-1B employees, however, the suspension does not
01:54mean that every H-1B visa has suddenly been canceled. The action specifically
01:59concerns the PERM labor certification process used by employers as part of
02:04certain permanent residency applications. The U.S. Labor Department has extended the
02:10suspension beyond Microsoft, bringing several major technology and IT companies
02:15under scrutiny. For Indian IT firms, therefore, the development could become an
02:20important immigration and employment issue, particularly for workers who are
02:25already in the United States and whose employers are pursuing permanent residency
02:29through the employment system. The administration is framing the move around a
02:34broader question. Should companies rely on foreign workers when American workers are
02:40available? Vance has strongly criticized the replacement of American workers with
02:45foreign labor and said the administration wants companies to hire what he called
02:49great American workers. At the same time, the companies named in the suspension are now
02:55facing an investigation rather than an automatic finding of wrongdoing. The
03:01allegations involve possible abuse of H-1B and labor programs, and the
03:06investigation will determine what action could follow. So for now, the biggest
03:11takeaway is this. The U.S. has suspended several major technology companies from
03:16the PERM program while authorities investigate alleged labor and visa program
03:21abuse. And for thousands of foreign workers hoping to move from temporary employment status
03:27toward permanent residency, the key question is how long these suspensions will
03:32last and what the investigation ultimately finds.
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