In brief
The Trump administration’s decision to halt PERM approvals for eight major U.S. tech companies has sent shockwaves through India’s tech workforce. With millions of Indians already in a green‑card backlog, the new restriction risks devastating many careers. Companies are adjusting, but the policy may push talent back home or force firms to offshore more work. Experts warn that the climate of tightening immigration could reroute the flow of highly skilled tech talent, reshaping the U.S. tech landscape.
By Rachita Prasad – BBC News, Mumbai – 22 October 2026
For years, an Indian engineer’s career map has revolved around an engineering degree, a U.S. tech‑services job, a posting in the U.S., and the ultimate goal of a green card. That map is now being redrawn. The U.S. has suspended PERM approved hires for eight technology giants – Microsoft, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, and HCL – removing a key route for permanent residency for many expatriates.
While insiders say the move will not cripple the firms’ bottom lines, it carries a severe human cost. Thousands of employees who have spent years in the U.S. find their green‑card timelines frozen, and those who are ready to return to India face a ripple of uncertainty. The decision follows a broader Trump push for tighter skilled‑worker immigration rules.
Data from the National Foundation for American Policy show that as of December 2025 nearly one million Indian nationals were waiting for employment‑based green cards, representing 79% of the total pending cases. Waiting times for high‑skill Indians now range from five to more than 179 years, depending on the visa category.
Alternative pathways exist – exceptional talent visas, investment‑based routes, and certain Employment‑Based Visa categories that bypass PERM – but many Indians lack the financial or credentialed resources to qualify. A few are exploring the EB‑5 investor route, though the minimum investment of $800,000 is beyond most professionals’ reach.
Some industry observers warn that the new restrictions could shift projects offshore, benefiting Indian companies but eroding the U.S. advantage in technology talent. While the appetite for Indian expertise remains, the U.S. may now re‑engineer the way that talent is tapped.
For the hundreds of thousands of engineers standing on the brink of a permanent U.S. life, the latest policy turns a familiar script into a cliff edge. With the climate growing even more restrictive, many will need to rewrite their future plans against a backdrop of uncertainty and evolving global tech flows.
