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Washington: Indian IT companies have significantly reduced their applications under the United States’ Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme, according to figures cited in a recent report. The decline could limit the immediate operational impact of the US administration’s decision to suspend eight companies from the programme.
The suspended companies reportedly include Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, HCL, Capgemini, Cognizant, Microsoft and Adobe. The US administration has raised concerns that the employment-based immigration system could affect job opportunities for American workers.
PERM Applications Had Already Declined
Data cited in the report indicates that several companies had reduced their PERM applications before the suspensions were announced.
TCS filed 1,804 applications in US fiscal year 2024 and 513 in fiscal year 2025. The reported number fell to just two in 2026.
HCL recorded 323 applications in 2025, compared with 59 in 2026. Capgemini’s applications declined from 300 in 2024 and 361 in 2025 to 98 in 2026.
Wipro filed 257 applications in 2024 and 523 in 2025. Infosys recorded 87 applications in 2024. However, comparable figures for every company and year are not available, making a complete year-by-year assessment difficult.
Why the Immediate Impact Could Be Limited
Vineet Nayar, former chief executive of HCL Technologies, reportedly wrote on X that Indian IT companies had secured fewer than 1,400 PERM certifications out of a total of 117,849 certifications issued in the previous year. According to the figures cited, this represented less than 2% of the total.
Nasscom and TCS have also indicated that PERM applications had already been declining. TCS reportedly said its applications had remained in single digits over the past two years and that the suspension was not expected to affect its workforce strategy or customer relationships significantly.
These statements suggest that the immediate impact may be limited for some companies, although the longer-term consequences will depend on the scope and duration of the suspensions.
Indian IT Companies Reduce Dependence on H-1B Visas
Indian technology companies have increasingly focused on hiring employees locally in the United States, reducing their reliance on bringing workers from India through H-1B visas.
This shift could help companies manage changes in US immigration policy. However, PERM and H-1B serve different purposes: H-1B is a temporary work visa for eligible specialty occupations, while PERM is generally a labour-certification step in the employment-based green card process.
The suspension could still affect eligible employees seeking permanent residency through employer-sponsored routes. The extent of the impact will depend on the restrictions imposed on each company and the status of individual applications.
What It Means for Indian IT Professionals
For Indian professionals working in the US or planning to move there, the developments highlight the importance of understanding the difference between temporary work authorisation and permanent residency.
A reduction in company-level PERM applications does not, by itself, mean that all green card applications have stopped. Employees should check their employer’s official guidance and the latest US government notices for information about their specific cases.
