The US Suspends Review of Green Card Applications for Microsoft and Other Major Companies

The U.S. government has suspended review of green card applications submitted by Microsoft, Adobe and several major consulting firms on behalf of their employees. The decision also affects Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini.

The restriction applies to both new applications and those already under review. It concerns the PERM program, which employers in most cases must complete if they want to obtain permanent residency status for a foreign employee. The company must demonstrate that hiring such an employee does not harm American wages or job opportunities.

Vice President JD Vance accused Microsoft of abusing the program. He pointed out that Microsoft cut 6,000 jobs in the U.S. last year while simultaneously filing thousands of immigration applications. In response, Microsoft said that 80% of its H-1B applications involved extending or changing the status of existing employees, rather than hiring new staff. The restriction has no set expiration date and will remain in effect until the government sees a change in companies' practices.

Source: Reuters