The US Department of Labor placed administrative holds on permanent labor certification processing for eight major technology employers, according to an enforcement notice published on 10 October [1].
The suspension halts processing of Form ETA-9089 applications required for employment-based permanent residency petitions [1]. Employers named in the administrative action include Microsoft, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCLTech, Capgemini and Adobe [1].
The holds follow federal compliance audits examining prevailing wage certifications and recruitment documentation in H-1B visa conversions [1]. Under the administrative order, new and pending PERM filings from the affected enterprises are frozen until the Department of Labor completes specialized programmatic reviews [1].
What it covers
The action applies to permanent labor certification applications filed by the eight named corporate entities under the Immigration and Nationality Act [1]. It affects foreign national technical workers sponsored for permanent residence status in the United States [1].
What it does not tell you
The Department of Labor did not disclose the total volume of individual worker applications currently frozen under the hold [1]. Nor did the agency establish a formal timetable for concluding the compliance audits or lifting the administrative restrictions [1].
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