US freezes Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys green-card applications over alleged fraud
MSFT•The Labor Department suspended new and pending permanent labor certification applications involving Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys and other named companies, citing alleged fraud. The administration also opened investigations into nine universities over alleged misuse of exchange-visitor visas.
1. Companies face application freeze
The Labor Department said it would halt new and pending permanent labor certification applications involving Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. The PERM process is required for most employment-based green cards, and employers must show that hiring a foreign worker will not harm US workers’ wages, conditions or job opportunities.
2. Universities also investigated
Vice President JD Vance said nine universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, would be investigated over alleged misuse of J-1 exchange-visitor visas. The Labor Department’s inspector general said subpoenas had already been served.
3. Visa crackdown expands
The freeze does not appear to directly affect current H-1B visa holders, but could block a common route to permanent residency for those workers. The actions follow a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions under a White House proclamation and the Labor Department’s Project Firewall enforcement drive.
