Trump administration

Microsoft and Other Tech Companies Suspended From PERM Green Card Program

Microsoft and other technology companies will no longer be allowed to participate in the Labor Department’s PERM program, one of the most common routes for H-1B visa holders seeking permanent U.S. residency.

Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata suspended

U.S. administration officials announced Thursday that Microsoft, software giant Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata have been suspended from the PERM program, or permanent labor certification program. PERM is an important step for H-1B visa holders seeking permanent residency. It requires employers to prove that there are no American workers who are suitable for the applicant’s permanent employment opportunity.

Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said authorities are investigating whether the companies engaged in wrongdoing by hiring foreign workers in ways that strained the American workforce.

JD Vance singles out Microsoft

Vice President JD Vance specifically criticized Microsoft. “Unfortunately, no company in the United States has exploited this system more than Microsoft,” Vance said at a press conference.

Microsoft President Caitlin Haskins said in a statement that the company “only submits H-1B applications to those who meet the rigorous criteria for this visa category.” She added that Microsoft is growing its workforce by “strengthening this country’s talent pipeline, hiring American workers, and attracting the best talent from around the world.”

Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys and Tata did not immediately respond to WIRED’s requests for comment.

Suspension welcomed by technology workers’ group

The suspension marks a victory for technology workers who have complained that they are unfairly losing jobs to immigrant workers.

Jobs Now, an advocacy group made up of Americans working in big tech, celebrated Vance’s announcement on its X account with a video of a dancing crab. The group publishes PERM jobs that are otherwise difficult to find and says it helped Americans apply for nearly 500,000 jobs from 7,000 employers between January of last year and July of this year.

The group and its members have also filed complaints against technology companies for allegedly abusing the PERM system. They are asking for numerous changes to the employment immigration system.

“All jobs in America should go to Americans first, without exception,” the group told WIRED in an unsigned statement.

Previous PERM actions against tech companies

This is not the first time technology companies have been targeted over PERM. Earlier this year, OpenAI and companies it acquired agreed to resolve charges from the Trump administration involving alleged violations of the program’s rules. Apple signed a similar agreement in 2023.