US Suspends Green Card Processing for Microsoft, Adobe and Major IT Firms
The US administration has suspended the processing of permanent residency applications, commonly known as green cards, for Microsoft, software developer Adobe and several major information technology (IT) service providers.
The decision is part of a broader effort to prevent immigration fraud and protect employment opportunities for American citizens.
The US Department of Labor said it would stop accepting new permanent labor certification applications, known as PERM applications, from the companies covered by the suspension. Processing of existing applications will also be temporarily halted.
The list of affected companies reportedly includes prominent global IT firms such as Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.
Allegations and Company Response
US Vice President JD Vance has accused Microsoft of exploiting the immigration system by laying off American workers while providing employment opportunities to foreign workers.
Microsoft has rejected the allegation, stating that the majority of the applications submitted by the company are not intended for hiring new employees. Instead, most relate to extending existing employees’ visas or changing their employment status.
Earlier, the White House introduced a one-time fee of US$100,000 for new H-1B visa applications and launched a special oversight initiative called “Project Firewall”.
Scrutiny of Leading Universities
The administration has also taken a tougher stance towards some of the country’s leading research and higher education institutions, extending its scrutiny beyond the technology sector.
Federal investigations have reportedly been launched into nine prominent universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), over allegations of misuse of exchange visitor or residency visa programmes.
According to investigators, the inquiries aim to determine whether foreign influence, questionable financial transactions and violations of visa regulations at these institutions are putting federally funded research at risk.
The administration’s measures across both the technology industry and higher education have generated renewed concern and uncertainty among businesses, foreign professionals and the international academic community.
//DBTech/BMT/OR//
