Trump's green card curbs test Indian tech workers' American dream

The technology industry has already been reshaped by layoffs, cost-cutting and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), making career moves tougher.But there are other routes to a US green card. People with exceptional accomplishments or whose work advances national interests may be eligible for categories that bypass the PERM labour certification process.Applicants can also qualify for permanent residency by investing at least $800,000 in eligible US enterprises.Gulek warns some of these categories "may be targeted next."While Chothani says some are so keen to stay in the US that they are considering the EB-5 investor route but may not have enough capital to invest.Nearly one million Indian nationals were waiting for employment-based green cards as of December 2025, representing 79% of the total pending applications, according to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). Their report projects wait times ranging from five to 179 years for highly skilled Indians filing labour certification or employment-based immigration petitions from January 2026, depending on the visa category.Like other recent immigration measures, the PERM suspension may face federal court ...