# US visa roadblock: Indian IT giants shift to offshore hiring

> US visa suspension pushes Indian IT firms to expand offshore teams and rethink US staffing.
- Title: US visa roadblock: Indian IT giants shift to offshore hiring
- Summary: US visa suspension pushes Indian IT firms to expand offshore teams and rethink US staffing.
- Keywords: us visa, perm suspension, h-1b visa, offshore hiring, indian it firms, talent retention, green card, us labor certification, talent pipeline, global capability centres, Financialexpress
- Source: Financialexpress — https://financialexpress.com/business/news/us-visa-roadblock-why-indian-it-giants-may-bet-big-on-offshore-hiring/4378818
- Author: Anjana PV
- Published: 2026-11-06T23:53:08+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: us visa, perm suspension, h-1b visa, offshore hiring, indian it firms, talent retention, green card, us labor certification, talent pipeline, global capability centres, business, money
## US PERM suspension
US Department of Labor suspended new and pending applications under the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme involving eight technology companies.
## Affected companies
Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, HCLTech and Capgemini.
## Impact on workers
Employees depend on this route to secure permanent residency after years of working in the US.
## H-1B visa status
The suspension does not affect existing H-1B visas or jobs.
## Shift to offshore hiring
Indian IT firms may rely less on sending employees to the US and increase offshore and nearshore teams.
## Karanth's view
PERM shows long-term commitment between employer and employee, impacting talent attraction and retention.

> employees, irrespective of seniority, function and level, aspire to qualify for perm on merits of impact and value creation they’ve done for their employer
## Local hiring challenges
Onboarding local talent at scale is expensive and difficult due to skill and cost mismatches.
## Global Capability Centres
Setting up or expanding GCCs in India remains cost-effective despite 25% cess in HIRE Act bill.
## Local hiring increase
The change could create more job opportunities in Indian tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
## Green card uncertainty
Employees approaching six-year H-1B limit may face extended delays in green card applications.
## Alternative routes
Employees may move to employers outside suspension, apply through EB-1A or EB-2 NIW categories, or relocate to other countries.
## Talent retention challenge
Companies face difficulty retaining experienced employees without clear path to permanent residency.

> specialist and senior talent being put on a processual limbo is not a desirable state for a country that’s heavily dependent on overseas stem talent
## Long-term shift
Traditional model of sending employees to US may give way to projects handled from India.
## Key takeaway

US PERM suspension may force Indian IT companies to hire more offshore staff and reduce US-based hiring.