Trump administration suspends Microsoft and seven IT firms from PERM processing
Source published: Oct 10, 2026 · 4:58 AM EDT · Event: 2026-10-08
The Trump administration announced that the Labor Department will not accept new or process pending Permanent Labor Certification applications involving Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. PERM is the labor-certification step used in most employer-sponsored permanent-residency cases; the action is narrower than a suspension of all H-1B visas or all green-card applications. Reuters also reports that federal officials announced investigations involving nine universities over alleged misuse of exchange-visitor visas and said subpoenas had been served.
Response / context
Vance and Sonderling accused employers of using visa programs to displace or underpay U.S. workers, but the reviewed sources did not identify a final agency adjudication or court finding that any named company committed fraud. Microsoft said roughly 80% of its H-1B filings in the last fiscal year extended or changed the status of existing employees and said it pays H-1B employees the same as comparable workers. An Indian technology trade group said member companies had reduced reliance on H-1B visas and that relatively few workers sought green cards through PERM. Several companies did not immediately comment; Tata declined comment. The announced university investigations likewise are probes, not findings of misconduct.
Dates and scope
Source publication: Oct 10, 2026 · 4:58 AM EDT
Event or conduct: 2026-10-08. Vice President JD Vance and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling announced the actions October 8. Reuters published and updated its report that day; AP separately reported the Microsoft action and the same-day presidential medal ceremony.
Dated report. Publication, event and review times are different; the review time is when the sources were last checked, not a live update.
This brief preserves the available response and disposition. Coverage is non-exhaustive. How we review sources.
Read the original sources
- Reuters: Trump administration freezes green cards for Microsoft, IT firms, probes universities ↗
Authoritative October 8 report on the companies, scope of the PERM suspension, announced university probes and responses
- Associated Press: Trump honors Microsoft's CEO after Vance drops an H-1B visa hammer on the company ↗
Independent October 8 report confirming the Microsoft suspension, administration allegations and same-day medal ceremony context
- U.S. Department of Labor: Protecting America's Highly Skilled Workforce with Project Firewall ↗
Primary agency description of the enforcement initiative cited by the administration; it does not itself establish violations by the companies named October 8
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