“Handcuffs await”: US freezes Cognizant Green Card filings in massive IT visa fraud probe - The Indian Express
The US has suspended permanent labour certification, or PERM, filings by Chennai-founded IT services company Cognizant and software firm Cloudera, as the Trump administration steps up its crackdown on alleged fraud and misuse of employment visa programmes.
The move could have implications for foreign workers seeking US employment-based Green Cards through Cognizant, including Indian technology professionals. The US Department of Labour has not disclosed the specific allegations against either company.
Authorities have not publicly given details about the specific allegations against Cognizant or Cloudera, nor said how many PERM applications are affected or how long the suspension will last.
US Department of Labour Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito announced the suspension of the companies’ PERM filings, saying, “Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated.”
D’Esposito said the investigation into the two companies was conducted in coordination with the White House Fraud Task Force and other officials.
Referring to Cognizant, he said its PERM filings had been suspended and that the Department of Labour’s Office of Inspector General was investigating. In another statement, D’Esposito said authorities were following “facts, fraud and finances”.
Fighting fraud is a TEAM SPORT.@Sonderling47 and I are for real.@Cognizant’s PERM filings are suspended. @DOLOIG is on the hunt.
Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated.
Alongside @WHFraudTF, we’re following facts, fraud and finances.
The development comes after the Trump administration launched a major investigation in July into alleged fraud involving the H-1B and PERM employment programmes.
Neither company has released a statement yet.
PERM stands for Program Electronic Review Management. It is the Department of Labour’s process for certifying that a US employer has tested the labour market and found that there are not sufficient qualified, willing and available US workers for a particular permanent job, and that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect wages and working conditions.
Before filing a PERM application, employers must obtain a prevailing wage determination for the position and complete the applicable recruitment and notice requirements.
Cognizant was founded in Chennai in 1994 and is now headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey. It remains a major US employer of foreign technology workers. USCIS data cited in recent reports show that Cognizant had received 3,510 H-1B petition approvals as of June 30, compared with 9,413 in 2020.
The PERM suspension could therefore matter to employees pursuing employer-sponsored permanent residency, although the government has not said how many workers or applications are affected.
Ravi Kumar Singisetti has served as Cognizant’s CEO since January 2023, succeeding Brian Humphries.
Cloudera was founded in Burlingame, California, in 2008 by Christophe Bisciglia, Amr Awadallah, Jeff Hammerbacher and Mike Olson.
The technology company initially offered a free product based on Hadoop and generated revenue through support and consulting services. It began offering a commercial distribution of Hadoop in 2009.
One more. @cloudera: PERM filings SUSPENDED. @Sonderling47 @DOLOIG @WHFraudTF 🇺🇸
In June 2013, Olson stepped down as CEO to become Chairman of the Board and Chief Strategy Officer, while Tom Reilly, the former CEO of ArcSight, succeeded him as CEO.
The immediate question is how long the suspension will remain in place and whether the investigation will lead to further action. The Department of Labour has not disclosed a timeline or the number of PERM filings affected. Cognizant and Cloudera had not issued public statements at the time of publication.
The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students. All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence. Core Team The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy: Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership. Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage. Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More
