India, Oct. 8 -- The United States has suspended several major technology and IT outsourcing companies from the Permanent Labour Certification Programme (PERM), a key step in the employment-based green card process, in a move that could affect thousands of foreign workers, including Indian IT professionals.

The companies named by US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling include Cognizant, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Wipro, HCL Technologies and Capgemini.

The Labour Department also suspended Microsoft and Adobe, citing multiple ongoing federal investigations.

No new or pending PERM applications

Sonderling said the Labour Department would not accept new or process pending permanent labour certification applications involving t...