Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 9 (ANI): Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer TV Mohandas Pai on Friday downplayed the US government's suspension of major technology companies from the Green Card sponsorship programme, saying that the move will have little to no practical impact on Indian tech professionals.

Speaking to ANI, Mohandas Pai clarified the nature of the suspension under the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) program, highlighting that the US government has not banned companies or workers altogether, but rather paused employer endorsements required during the initial stages of permanent residency applications.

'The US has not suspended anybody from anything. What the US has said is that many companies, including Adobe and Microsoft, will not be able to sponsor Green Cards for their employees. Now, when you apply for a Green Card for permanent residency, you need to get a sponsor as an employer,' he said.

Further, he noted that there is a large queue of people seeking a Green Card after people have been sponsored. He underlined that the decision will have no immediate impact as it is futuristic in nature. 

'There's a huge queue for getting a Green Card after people have been sponsored. It is taking 10 to 15 years for people to get a Green Card. So the US has said that we are going to suspend these companies from applying for Green Cards or endorsing people further. So it will not have any impact because it's very futuristic. And as it is, the number of people on visas by all these companies has gone down in the last three to four years,' he said.

The remarks came after the US Labour Department suspended several major technology and outsourcing companies amid federal investigations into alleged misuse of the system. US technology companies Microsoft and Adobe were also suspended, while nine universities faced probes over allegations of undercutting American wages.

US Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling said the companies had collectively sought millions of foreign workers and received hundreds of thousands of H-1B visa approvals and permanent labour certifications.

The administration further added that the action is aimed at addressing concerns over foreign hiring and protecting American workers. (ANI)