US Suspends Green Card Applications for Major Tech Companies

In practice, the Trump administration has frozen some employment-based green card applications involving Microsoft, Adobe, and a number of major IT outsourcing businesses as part of a wider crackdown on skilled-worker immigration.

Key points

• Amazon was the largest employer of approved H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal 2026, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Apple, and Microsoft.
• The firm separately unveiled in July that it would cut 4, 800 jobs, or regarding 2.1% of its global workforce.
• The universities include Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• Saudi Arabia Changes Family Visa Rules for Skilled Expatriates.
• Microsoft remarked around 80% of its H-1B filings in the last fiscal year were for extensions or status changes involving existing employees rather than new hires.

In practice, the US Labor Department remarked it would stop accepting new PERM applications and pause pending cases involving Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, and Capgemini. Saudi Arabia Changes Family Visa Rules for Skilled Expatriates.

Permanent Labor Certification, or PERM, is required for most employment-based green cards. Employers must show that hiring a foreign worker will not negatively affect the wages or job opportunities of US workers.

Microsoft is the largest filer of PERM applications, according to Labor Department data. Vice President JD Vance accused the firm of abusing the system, saying it laid off 6, 000 American workers last year while benefiting from 6, 300 H-1B visas and almost 3, 000 green cards.

Microsoft remarked around 80% of its H-1B filings in the last fiscal year were for extensions or status changes involving existing employees rather than new hires. It additionally stated H-1B workers receive the same pay as employees doing comparable jobs.

For context, the firm separately unveiled in July that it would cut 4, 800 jobs, or regarding 2.1% of its global workforce.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling remarked the affected businesses had sought almost three million foreign workers since 2009 and received more than 230, 000 H-1B approvals and over 100, 000 permanent labor certifications.

Amazon was the largest employer of approved H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal 2026, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Apple, and Microsoft. US Introduces Strict Visa Screening for Foreigners.

Vance remarked the suspensions would remain in place for as long as necessary. He additionally alleged that some businesses post ineffective job before claiming they cannot find suitable applicants and hiring lower-paid foreign workers.

Notably, the move follows a broader crackdown on skilled-worker programs. While the White House imposed a one-time $100, 000 fee on new H-1B petitions for workers hired from abroad, in September last year, the Labor Department introduced Project Firewall.

In practice, the administration has additionally opened investigations into nine leading US universities over alleged misuse of exchange-visitor visas to undercut American wages.

Meanwhile, the universities include Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While subpoenas have already been served, investigators will examine whether foreign influence, improper financial relationships, or visa abuse are affecting federally funded research. Stay Connected with ProPakistani. Obtain the latest international news and global stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover. Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp. See more ProPakistani stories in Google Search and Top Stories.

For now, US Suspends Green Card Applications for Major Tech Companies remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.