US Suspends Cognizant Green Card Filings Amid Fraud Probe

The U.S. Department of Labor has suspended permanent labor certification filings for the technology services company Cognizant as federal authorities investigate allegations of fraud and potential harm to American workers. The action, announced by Labor Department Inspector General Anthony DEsposito, halts Cognizant's Programme Electronic Review Management (PERM) filings, a critical step in sponsoring foreign workers for employment-based green cards. DEsposito stated on social media that "Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated" and indicated his office was collaborating with the White House Fraud Task Force. He did not disclose specific allegations, the number of affected filings, or the duration of the suspension. The PERM process requires employers to prove that no qualified U.S. workers are available for a position and that hiring a foreign national will not negatively impact domestic workers' wages or working conditions. While the suspension could delay new green card sponsorship cases for Cognizant employees, it does not affect existing visa or green card approvals, nor does it mean employees with pending applications will lose their cases.