Eight Employers Suspended From PERM: What It Means for Your Green Card Path

The short answer

On October 8, 2026, the Department of Labor suspended eight employers from the PERM labor certification program: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini. PERM is the first step in most employment-based green cards, so new and pending cases at those companies cannot move forward. No end date was given. If your employer is not on the list, your case is unaffected.

What PERM is, and why a suspension matters

Most EB-2 and EB-3 green cards start with PERM. The employer gets a prevailing wage determination from DOL, tests the US labor market through required recruitment, then files the PERM application. Only after certification can the employer file Form I-140 with USCIS.

A suspension stops that first step. Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling said the department would not accept new or process pending applications involving the named companies. Vice President JD Vance said the suspension would last as long as it needs to.

Why these eight

Officials gave different reasons for different employers. Microsoft and Adobe were named in connection with multiple active federal investigations; a DOJ spokesperson confirmed investigations were opened before the suspensions. The six IT services firms were named as a group. This follows earlier narrower actions, including a 180-day suspension of Cloudera in May 2026 and a halt on Cognizant filings announced by the DOL inspector general in September 2026.

What to do if you work at one of these employers

1. Don't panic or quit over this alone. An H-1B is separate from PERM. Your work authorization is not affected by the suspension itself.
2. Ask your company's immigration team where your case stands and what they are doing. Several of these employers are contesting the action.
3. Protect your priority date. If you already have an approved I-140, that priority date generally stays with you and can be used by a future employer. Confirm your specific situation with an attorney.
4. Keep your options open. If green card sponsorship is a priority, it is reasonable to look at employers that can file PERM today.

What to ask a prospective employer now

• Have you filed PERM applications in the last 12 months, and roughly how many?
• At what point in employment do you start the green card process?
• Who pays the costs, and is there a repayment agreement?
• Are you subject to any current DOL or DOJ action?

This fits the broader pattern from the September 2026 executive order on layoffs: the government is scrutinizing individual employers rather than changing rules across the board, which makes which employer you join matter more than it used to.

FAQ

Is my H-1B affected? Not by this action. The suspension covers PERM labor certification, not H-1B petitions.

Is PERM suspended nationwide? No. This is a targeted action against eight named employers. Everyone else files normally.

What happens to my pending PERM case? At a named employer, pending cases are not being processed. No timeline has been announced.

Weighing a move? Syncra screens employers for active sponsorship. Talk to a Syncra recruiter.

Syncra Talent Solutions is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Green card decisions are individual; talk to an immigration attorney before acting.

Sources: Boundless · Manifest Law · Wolfsdorf · Bloomberg Law · Alma · NRI Information