Cognizant’s Programme Electronic Review Management (PERM) Filings Suspended Amid U.S. Immigration Fraud Probe

On September 8, Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito announced that Cognizant’s Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) filings had been suspended and that a fraud investigation involving both the PERM and H-1B visa programs was underway. The suspension bars the company from submitting new PERM applications while the probe continues; existing PERM approvals and previously granted H-1B visas remain in effect.

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PERM is the labor-certification step required before U.S. employers can sponsor foreign workers for employment-based green cards. It obliges employers to obtain a prevailing-wage determination and conduct a recruitment campaign to show that no qualified U.S. workers are available. The H-1B visa allows U.S. firms to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations, and many technology companies rely on both programs to staff U.S. operations.

Cognizant PERM suspension: what it means for Indian tech workers in US NewsweekCognizant faces US probe over alleged employment visa violations

The Trump administration has intensified enforcement of H-1B rules, securing settlements with several firms, proposing higher filing fees, and tightening eligibility criteria. Earlier scrutiny has also targeted companies for alleged discrimination against U.S. workers in favor of temporary-visa holders.

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• USCIS data show Cognizant secured approval for 3,510 H-1B visa petitions through June 30 of fiscal year 2026.

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• In fiscal 2026, Cognizant ranked among the largest H-1B employers, behind Amazon, Infosys, and TCS.

Cognizant faces US probe over alleged employment visa violations

• The company reported approximately 351,600 employees worldwide at the end of 2025, with roughly 256,900 based in India.

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• Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito posted on X that the PERM filings were suspended and that the investigation is being conducted alongside the White House Fraud Task Force and other officials. He emphasized that “Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated.”

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• Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans praised the suspension in a post on X, noting prior questioning of Cognizant’s hiring practices by Chairman Chuck Grassley and Ranking Member Dick Durbin.

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• No criminal charges have been announced, and Cognizant has not provided detailed comments on the specific allegations.

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The Inspector General’s announcement did not disclose the precise nature or scope of the alleged fraud, and neither Cognizant nor the Department of Labor has released detailed allegations. Consequently, the extent of any potential violations remains unclear.

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• “Threats to American workers will NOT be tolerated,” — Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito

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