News
Green card pause for 8 employers: what it means for H-1B workers
The US has stopped green card labor certifications for TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCLTech, Cognizant, Capgemini, Microsoft and Adobe. Here is who is affected and what is not changing.
October 8, 2026
On October 8, 2026, the US Department of Labor said it will stop accepting new PERM labor certifications, and stop processing pending ones, for eight employers:
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
- Infosys
- Wipro
- HCLTech
- Cognizant
- Capgemini
- Microsoft
- Adobe
Some headlines call this an "H-1B ban". It isn't one. Here is what it does and doesn't do, as reported so far.
What PERM is
PERM is the first step of most employer-sponsored green cards (EB-2 and EB-3). Your employer has to get a labor certification from the Department of Labor before it can file your I-140 with USCIS.
What is changing
- These eight employers can't start new PERM cases for now.
- Pending PERM cases for these employers are on hold.
- If you work for one of them and were waiting for your green card process to start or move forward, expect a delay.
What is not changing
- Your H-1B stays valid. India's foreign ministry said the measures do not affect existing H-1B visas or the status of H-1B workers and their families.
- H-1B extensions and transfers are separate from PERM. Nothing announced so far stops them.
- Other employers are not affected by this action.
- Approved I-140s are not cancelled. Nothing in the announcement cancels an I-140 that was already approved.
Still unclear
- How long the pause will last. The rule behind it allows up to 180 days at first, and longer while an investigation continues.
- The official notice itself. So far only the announcement and news reports have been published.
We'll update this post when the Department of Labor publishes the details.
What you can do now
- Ask your employer's immigration team where your PERM or I-140 stands.
- Keep your documents ready: pay stubs, I-797 approval notices and your passport.
- Keep tracking your case in ImmigraMate. We'll alert you as soon as USCIS updates it.
- If you're thinking about changing jobs, talk to an immigration lawyer first. An approved I-140 and your priority date can sometimes be kept when you move, but it depends on your case.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own case, talk to an immigration attorney.