On October 8, 2026, at a White House press event, Vice President JD Vance announced the Microsoft suspension and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling named the other companies. The Department of Labor is suspending eight employers from the permanent labor certification program, known as PERM. PERM is the first step for most employer-sponsored green cards. (Samper Law, Ellis)
- Who: Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini
- What: no new PERM filings accepted, and pending ones not processed
- How long: no end date was given
- What it is not: a debarment, a criminal charge or a finding of fraud
- Paper trail: as of October 10, no written Labor Department notice has been published
What was announced
According to reports of the press conference, the Department of Labor will not accept new PERM applications from the eight employers and will not process the ones already pending. (SHRM, WR Immigration)
SHRM reported that the suspensions are indefinite, and Vice President Vance said they would last "as long as it needs to." No end date was given. (SHRM, Samper Law)
Why officials say they acted
Officials said employers certified they could not find qualified US workers while running recruitment designed not to find them, and that some laid off US workers while still sponsoring foreign workers. (Samper Law) Officials also cited multiple federal investigations. (SHRM, Ellis)
These are allegations, not findings. None of the eight employers has been charged with a crime, although Attorney General Todd Blanche said criminal charges are possible. (Samper Law, Ellis) Microsoft disputed the framing and told SHRM that about 80% of its H-1B filings last year were extensions or changes for existing employees. (SHRM)
The rule behind it
The Labor Department's PERM rules already allow it to pause processing while an employer is under investigation:
"the Department may suspend processing of any permanent labor certification application involving such employer, attorney, or agent until completion of any investigation and/or judicial proceedings." 20 CFR 656.31(b)(1)
The same section says a suspension "may last initially for up to 180 days," and can then be extended while an investigation or court case is unresolved. (20 CFR 656.31) The rule is about suspending processing. The reported refusal to accept new filings is not spelled out in it, and we will update this post when the Labor Department publishes a written notice. We explain the difference between a suspension and a debarment in a separate guide.
This is not the first use of the power this year. On May 12, 2026, the Labor Department suspended processing of all PERM applications filed by or for Cloudera for 180 days. (DOL news release) In September 2026, the Labor Department's Inspector General also said Cognizant's PERM filings had been suspended during a fraud investigation, according to news reports. (Ellis)
What is confirmed and what is not
| Point | Status on October 9, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Suspension announced on October 8 | Announced at a White House press conference |
| The eight employers named | Consistent across reports |
| Written Labor Department notice | Not yet published on its announcements page (checked October 10) |
| How long it lasts | Unknown. No end date given |
| Criminal charges | None reported |
| Debarment | None reported |
| Approved PERMs and I-140s | Not addressed by officials |
(DOL Foreign Labor Certification announcements, Samper Law)
Who is affected
The people most directly affected are employees of the eight companies whose green card cases are at, or have not yet reached, the PERM stage. Officials did not say approved PERMs or approved I-140 petitions are affected, and reports say approved H-1B visas and green cards are not cancelled. (SHRM)
If that is you, our guides cover what happens to a pending PERM and your priority date, your H-1B six-year limit, and green card routes that do not need PERM at all.
What to watch next
- A written notice from the Labor Department's Office of Foreign Labor Certification.
- Whether processing resumes, or the suspension is extended, around the 180-day mark.
- A proposed rule revising the PERM labor market test, which reports say is under review at the White House Office of Management and Budget. (SHRM)
We will update this post when an official notice is published. This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to an immigration attorney about your own case.
Sources
- 20 CFR 656.31, Department of Labor PERM rules on suspension and debarment
- Department of Labor, news release on Cloudera, May 12, 2026
- Department of Labor, Foreign Labor Certification announcements
- SHRM, "PERM Suspensions Latest Blow to Immigration Programs," October 8, 2026
- Ellis, "Labor Department Suspends Microsoft, Adobe, and 6 IT Firms From PERM Green Card Program"
- WR Immigration, "DOL Announces PERM Suspensions," October 8, 2026
- Samper Law, PERM suspension analysis, October 8, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Which employers were suspended?
Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini, according to reports of the October 8, 2026 announcement.
Is this a ban or a debarment?
No. It was announced as a suspension of processing. Debarment is a separate, formal penalty under 20 CFR 656.31(f) that requires a written notice and can last up to three years. None of the eight has been reported as debarred.
How long will it last?
No end date was given. The regulation allows an initial suspension of up to 180 days, which can be extended until an investigation or court case is finished.
Does it cancel existing green cards or H-1B visas?
Reports of the announcement say approved H-1B visas and green cards are not cancelled. The action is about PERM applications.
Has any employer been charged with a crime?
Not as of October 10, 2026. The announcement referred to investigations, and Attorney General Todd Blanche said criminal charges are possible, but none of the companies has been charged.
Green Card Guide AI is not a law firm and this article is not legal advice. It describes evidence-building strategy in general terms; your attorney determines what belongs in your petition and how it's argued.
