The Trump administration has announced a suspension of new and pending applications under the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM), a move that impacts eight technology companies including Microsoft, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, and HCL Technologies, preventing them from permanently employing skilled international workers through this channel. This action is part of the Trump administration's tightening of immigration rules for skilled workers and is particularly detrimental to Indian tech workers, who primarily hold H-1B visas and typically apply for green cards through the PERM process. Experts believe that while Indian tech companies have reduced their reliance on H-1B visas and increased local hiring, potentially limiting the business impact on companies, the effect on individuals will be significant. Remarks by US Vice President JD Vance, who referred to H-1B holders as "foreign indentured servants," have intensified online hostility towards Indian immigrants. As of December 2025, nearly one million Indian nationals are awaiting employment-based green cards, accounting for 79% of total applications, with estimated wait times ranging from 5 to 179 years.