Indian IT firms have sharply reduced US green card sponsorship filings, with TCS submitting just two PERM applications in 2026.
How sharply have applications declined?
Indian IT companies have recorded a significant decline in applications for permanent labour certification in the United States, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) filing just two applications in 2026 so far. HCL Technologies filed 59 applications during the same period, while Indian IT firms collectively accounted for less than 2% of total PERM certifications.
The figures point to a marked change in employer-sponsored permanent residency applications among Indian technology companies. TCS had filed 1,804 applications in 2024, compared with just two in 2026 so far.
However, these figures alone do not establish that TCS has stopped hiring in the United States or ended its sponsorship of Indian professionals. Application numbers can reflect changes in recruitment needs, employee immigration status and corporate workforce planning.
The available data also show differences in how individual companies use the employment-based immigration process, with HCL continuing to file applications despite the relatively low overall share of Indian IT firms.
What is the PERM process for green cards?
The Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) process is a key step in obtaining employment-based permanent residency in the United States. In applicable categories, employers must secure permanent labour certification before proceeding with sponsorship for a foreign employee.
Under the process, employers generally must demonstrate that there are not enough qualified and available US workers for the position and that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed American workers.
The employer must complete the prescribed recruitment procedures and submit the required information to the US Department of Labor. Labour certification, however, does not automatically grant a green card. Applicants must still meet the relevant immigration requirements, and the subsequent process depends on eligibility, the immigration category and visa availability.\
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Do fewer PERM applications mean fewer green cards?
A decline in PERM applications does not necessarily translate directly into an equivalent fall in the number of green cards received by employees. Applications may remain pending, be denied or proceed to later stages of the immigration process.
Companies may also employ foreign professionals through different immigration categories and hiring arrangements, depending on business needs and individual circumstances. As a result, PERM figures provide only a partial picture of how companies recruit and retain foreign workers in the United States.
The available numbers do not establish why TCS reduced its filings from 1,804 in 2024 to two in 2026. Nor do they explain whether the decline reflects changes in hiring, sponsorship policies or the immigration status of existing employees.
A fuller assessment would require additional information on other visa categories, recruitment practices and the number of employees who eventually obtain permanent residency.
What could the figures mean for Indian IT companies?
Indian technology companies have a long-standing presence in the US market, providing software development, consulting, technology services and digital solutions. Their workforce strategies can combine local recruitment with the deployment of specialised professionals from other countries.
Changes in employer-sponsored green card applications may offer insight into long-term workforce planning, but the figures alone do not establish a broader shift in hiring policy. Business demand, local recruitment, employee immigration status and the use of alternative visa categories may all influence filing levels.
Indian IT firms’ share of less than 2% of total PERM certifications highlights their limited participation in this particular process. Comparisons across industries and employers, along with data on completed green card applications, would be needed to assess the wider trend.
For now, TCS’s two applications in 2026 and HCL Technologies’ 59 filings underline the difference in reported activity among major Indian IT companies. The reasons behind the decline remain unclear from the available figures.
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