Brief
India criticises US PERM freeze as harmful to skilled talent mobility
New Delhi says the US PERM freeze does not advance shared ambitions and could disrupt Indian professionals in the US tech sector.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday warned that the United States' decision to suspend green‑card related PERM filings at eight technology firms does not further the shared ambitions of the two countries. The MEA statement, released in Dubai, said talent mobility benefits both economies and urged stakeholders to recognise its importance.
The US Department of Labor announced the suspension on October 8, halting new PERM applications and processing of pending cases for Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. While the freeze does not affect existing H‑1B visas or current green‑card holders, eligible employees at the listed firms could face delays in their permanent‑residency applications.
The MEA clarified that the PERM suspension is separate from the H‑1B system. It highlighted that Indian professionals constitute a significant portion of the skilled workforce in the American technology sector and that disruptions could impact their plans to settle permanently in the United States.
Key facts
- India's MEA said the US PERM freeze does not advance shared ambitions (gulfnews.com)
- The US Department of Labor suspended PERM filings for eight tech firms on October 8, 2026 (gulfnews.com)
- The freeze does not affect existing H‑1B visas or already granted green cards (gulfnews.com)
- Affected companies include Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini (gulfnews.com)
Sources
- [1] gulfnews.com — originally reported as “US Green Card Freeze: India Criticizes Impact on Skilled Talent Mobility”
