The United States Department of Labor has suspended Cognizant’s ability to file new permanent labor certification, or PERM, applications while federal investigators examine visa fraud allegations. Labor Department Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito announced the suspension as part of a broader federal effort called “Project Firewall,” which targets employers suspected of abusing H-1B and related visa programmes. Cloudera has reportedly faced a similar PERM filing suspension under the same investigation.
The precise scope of the action remains unclear, as the department has not released a detailed order explaining the effects on employees with approved H-1B petitions or mid-process green card applications. Cognizant, a major H-1B visa sponsor with a delivery workforce largely based in India, has not issued a detailed public statement addressing the freeze on new filings, and the duration of the suspension remains unknown.