‘Applications were in single digits’: TCS says US’ green card suspension won’t impact workforce strategy

US PERM suspension: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) said the US government's suspension of some of the biggest tech and IT firms’ key green cards will not impact its workforce strategy. TCS is among a host of companies including Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies, Capgemini, Microsoft, and Adobe that are under suspension.

“We have noted the announcement by the US Government on the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) and TCS will comply with any directive from the Department of Labor. Our workforce strategy in the US is anchored in hiring local talent, supported by a robust campus recruitment model. We have built a significant local workforce across 31 offices and delivery centers throughout the country,” it said.

It said as announced earlier, TCS intends to hire an additional 15,000 people in the US over the next five years, to further augment our local workforce. It said its PERM applications were in single digits in the last two years, and hence there will be no impact on the workforce strategy and customer engagements.

MUST READ | 'Indentured servants': JD Vance on H-1B workers as US stops tech firms from green card programme

WHAT IS HAPPENING

The United States on Thursday suspended major IT companies from a key green-card programme and opened investigations into nine top universities. The move is part of a wider crackdown aimed at tackling fraud and protecting American jobs.

Since taking office, Trump has worked to reduce the number of foreign-born people in the country and limit their path to residence and citizenship. Thursday’s actions represent the broadest measures yet against skilled-worker immigration programmes. These steps could cut off a common route to permanent residency for foreign tech workers and send a warning to some of the country’s leading research universities.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling stated, “We will not accept any new or process any pending permanent labour certification applications involving these companies.” He added that since 2009, these companies had sought almost three million foreign workers, receiving over 230,000 H-1B visa approvals and more than 100,000 permanent labour certifications.

DON'T MISS | Setback for IT giants: US suspends Microsoft, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL from green card programme

US immigration data shows Amazon.com was the largest employer of approved H-1B beneficiaries in fiscal 2026, followed by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Apple and Microsoft.

The actions on Thursday highlight the administration’s broader effort to tighten skilled-worker immigration programmes. The suspension affects a key green-card route for foreign tech workers, while the university investigations expand the crackdown’s reach.