US freezes Microsoft, Adobe, Infosys green-card applications over alleged fraud

Key Points:

• The U.S. government has suspended permanent labor certification (PERM) processing for several major tech companies, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple, marking the broadest strike against skilled-worker immigration programs to date and potentially hindering foreign tech workers' path to permanent residency.
• Vice President JD Vance criticized Microsoft for allegedly abusing the system by laying off thousands of American workers while benefiting from thousands of H-1B visas and green cards, though Microsoft stated most H-1B applications were for current employee status changes and that it pays foreign workers comparably.
• The suspensions aim to pressure companies to improve hiring practices, with accusations that some post ineffective job ads to justify hiring lower-paid foreign workers, while Indian IT firms and industry bodies claim reduced reliance on H-1B visas and green cards.
• In addition to targeting companies, the administration announced investigations into nine top universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, over alleged misuse of exchange-visitor visas and concerns about foreign influence and visa abuse in federally funded research.
• These actions continue a broader crackdown on skilled-worker programs amid ongoing tensions between the government and tech/academic sectors, with potential significant impacts on U.S. innovation, competitiveness, and the economy.