Trump’s Green Card Limits Imperil Indian Tech Workers’ U.S. Hopes

WHO:

BBC - Indian technology workers seeking U.S. residency are affected by immigration restrictions and reduced foreign hiring.

BBC - Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Microsoft provided information about their U.S. hiring or immigration practices.

WHAT:

BBC - Wipro said more than 80% of its U.S. workforce is locally hired.

BBC - TCS said its PERM applications were in single digits over the last two years.

BBC - Microsoft said it filed for H-1B visas mostly to retain existing staff, rather than to bring in new workers.

BBC - The article reports that U.S. green card restrictions and technology companies’ reduced foreign hiring are making U.S. residency harder to attain for many Indians.

WHERE:

BBC - Wipro’s workforce figures and Microsoft’s H-1B visa filings concern their U.S. operations.

BBC - The residency hopes discussed are for the United States.

WHY:

BBC - Immigration restrictions and technology companies cutting foreign hiring are contributing to U.S. residency becoming a distant prospect for many Indians.

HOW:

BBC - Wipro said most of its U.S. workforce is locally hired; TCS reported very few PERM applications; and Microsoft said its H-1B filings were primarily used to retain existing employees.

(UPDATED October 22, 2026 04:12 UTC)

For many Indian technology workers, making a life in the United States is becoming harder as green card restrictions combine with reduced foreign hiring across the industry. Several major companies say their U.S. staffing and immigration practices reflect a limited role for overseas recruitment. Wipro reported that more than 80 percent of its U.S. workforce is hired locally. Tata Consultancy Services said it submitted only a single-digit number of PERM applications over the past two years. Those applications are part of the process that can help workers seek permanent residency. Microsoft said its H-1B visa filings were mostly intended to retain employees already on staff, rather than bring in new workers. Together, the figures illustrate how fewer hiring opportunities and immigration limits are making U.S. residency a distant prospect for many Indians.