Earlier this month, the United States announced it would suspend eight technology firms, including Microsoft and India’s Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro and HCL Technologies, from hiring skilled international workers on a permanent basis through a widely used visa pathway, according to the BBC.

New and pending applications under the Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) have been frozen — a big blow to Indians, who hold a majority of H-1B visas.