- HCLTech expects minimal impact from new US PERM restrictions on its operations
- Chief People Officer Ram Sundararajan cites sharp drop in PERM filings recently
- The company has increased local hiring, reducing reliance on foreign labor processes
HCLTech expects the latest US restrictions on the Permanent Labour Certification (PERM) process to have little bearing on its operations, with Chief People Officer Ram Sundararajan pointing to a sharp curtailment in filings and a growing reliance on locally hired talent.
Sundararajan said HCLTech would adhere to the US Department of Labor's requirements, noting that its PERM filings had remained at negligible levels over the past two years.
ALSO READ : HSBC To End Fixed-Pay Allowances In 2028 As UK Scraps Bonus Pay Cap
“We will comply with the department's requirements,” Sundararajan said, underscoring the company's approach to regulatory changes in the US, a key market for the Indian IT services industry.
He said HCLTech had also stepped up local hiring over the past few years, reducing its reliance on employment-based immigration processes.
Given the small number of PERM filings in recent years, the company does not anticipate any significant disruption to its operations.
As the US tightens scrutiny of employment-based immigration, changes to labour certification and visa rules could affect how technology companies assign employees to projects and secure work visas for them.
The PERM system requires employers sponsoring foreign nationals for certain permanent US jobs to establish that suitably qualified American workers are not available for the positions.
ALSO READ : HCLTech Raises FY27 Revenue Growth Guidance To 2.5-4%, Retains EBIT Margin Outlook
Companies must also show that hiring overseas candidates would not undermine the pay or working conditions of comparable US employees.
For Indian IT services companies, immigration rules remain an important consideration because they influence talent mobility, staffing costs and long-term workforce planning.
HCLTech's assessment suggests that its relatively limited exposure to PERM filings, alongside a greater emphasis on hiring locally, should help it navigate the regulatory requirements without a material effect on its business.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.