HCLTech does not expect the US government's suspension of the permanent labour certification programme, known as PERM, to have a material impact on its workforce plans or client engagements, citing the small number of applications it has filed in recent years.
“We will comply with the directive from the Department of Labor and respond to any questions they may have,” Ram Sundararajan, HCLTech’s human resources head, said during the company’s Q2 earnings press conference on Monday.
HCLTech’s peers have also played down the impact of the suspension. Infosys said it did not expect the move to have a material impact on its operations, while Tata Consultancy Services said its limited PERM applications and focus on local hiring in the US would help contain the impact.
Meanwhile, the company has increased local recruitment in the US over the years to build a significant talent base in the country, which remains a key part of its workforce strategy.
“Over the last many years, we have ramped up our in-country recruiting efforts to build a significant local talent base,” Sundararajan said, adding that the company would continue with this approach.