US Action Against 8 IT Firms Including Infosys-TCS: Will Indian Employees Be Affected?

Washington: Big news has come for Indian IT companies working in America and Indian professionals working there. The US Labour Department has decided to suspend eight big IT companies including Infosys, TCS, Wipro and HCL from the Permanent Labour Certification Program. Names of companies like Microsoft and Adobe are also said to be included in this list. This move may affect the green card process of some foreign employees of the companies concerned. In such a situation, the question is arising whether this will affect the jobs of Indian employees and their plans to settle permanently in America?

Why did America take action against these companies?

The US administration argues that employment opportunities for local citizens should be protected when hiring foreign workers. According to the report, US Labour Minister Keith Sonderling has raised questions on the activities of companies related to the recruitment of foreign employees.

It is reported that since 2009, these companies have applied for lakhs of foreign employees. The U.S. government is concerned that recruiting foreign workers could impact some of the jobs available to qualified U.S. citizens. However, confirmation of the official order is necessary to understand the exact basis and scope of this action.

What is Permanent Labour Certification?

Permanent Labour Certification is called PERM. This is an important step in the process of getting a green card for a foreign worker based on permanent employment in the US. Under this, the employer has to prove by completing the prescribed recruitment process that there will be no adverse impact on the employment of American employees qualified for the respective post.

Even after getting the certification, the green card is not available immediately. For this, other processes related to immigration have to be completed.

Will the business of Indian IT companies be affected?

Companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro and HCL have big business in America. These companies employ Indian IT professionals there. If the suspension continues for a longer period, plans for permanent appointment of some foreign workers and green card sponsorship for the companies concerned may be delayed.

This may impact the future plans of employees and the recruitment strategy of companies. However, the actual impact will depend on the conditions and duration of the suspension.

Will H-1B visas be revoked?

This decision does not mean that the H-1B visas of all Indian employees working in the concerned companies will be cancelled immediately. The H-1B visa and PERM processes are different. The restrictions associated with PERM may primarily impact the permanent employment and green card processes.

Employees should check their visa status and application information with the company. If needed, it would also be appropriate to seek advice from an immigration expert.

What will happen next?

Now everyone's eyes are on the next step of the US Labour Department and the reaction of the concerned companies. If the suspension continues, some workers' green card applications may be delayed. However, it would not be correct to see this as loss of jobs or cancellation of visas of all Indian employees. An official announcement and confirmation of statements from the companies concerned is necessary to clarify the final situation.