Does Capgemini Sponsor H-1B Visas? What the October 2026 PERM Suspension Changes and What It Doesn't

Capgemini can still file H-1B petitions and extensions; only its PERM green card filings are frozen. What that means on OPT, at extension time and near year six.

Part of our guide to PERM labor certification.

Yes, Capgemini can still sponsor H-1B visas. As of November 1, 2026, no announced federal action stops its H-1B petitions, extensions or transfers. What changed on October 8 is narrower: the Department of Labor (DOL) stopped accepting and processing PERM labor certifications, the first green card step, for eight employers, Capgemini among them. So the answer to "does Capgemini sponsor H1B" is yes for the visa, and "frozen, with no end date" for the green card.

Status as of November 1, 2026:

• In effect: DOL's PERM suspension of Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini (announced 2026-10-08), with no written notice, stated basis or end date.
• In effect: a $4,000 9-11 fee on H-1B petitions, extensions included, for employers that meet a 50/50 test.
• Blocked: the $100,000 H-1B payment. Proclamation 11069 stands on paper, but courts blocked the agency policies that implement it.
• Proposed only: ending the worker 60-day grace period (comments close 2026-11-10) and removing deference on extensions (comments close 2026-11-13).

Does Capgemini sponsor H-1B? The short answer

Capgemini can still sponsor H-1B visas as of November 1, 2026. DOL's October 8 action suspends only PERM labor certification, the first green card step, for eight employers including Capgemini. It does not end anyone's H-1B status or stop Capgemini from filing H-1B petitions, extensions or transfers. The green card track is what stalled.

Mayer Brown's analysis (2026-10-15) says the action "does not suspend any employer from the H-1B program."

What Capgemini's USCIS numbers show

The USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub records USCIS's first decision on each petition. For Capgemini America Inc. (listed in Chicago), fiscal year 2024, the latest full year we quote, shows a large, steady petitioner:

Initial employment is generally new H-1B work, such as a first H-1B after OPT; continuing generally means people already in H-1B status (the Hub's definitions govern). Approval rates count decided petitions, not people never sponsored, and FY2024 predates every 2026 change, including the suspension and PA-2026-05, which since August 2026 allows denials without an RFE when initial evidence is missing. Our Capgemini America Inc. employer page shows each year.

Is Capgemini suspended from H-1B?

No. An H-1B runs through a Labor Condition Application (LCA) at DOL and a Form I-129 petition at USCIS. As Mayer Brown describes the October 8 action, it reaches neither, and it "did not accuse the named companies of any specific violations of law." DOL's H-1B debarment list, "effective as of October 1, 2026," names six willful-violator employers. Capgemini is not one of them.

DOL's rule at 20 CFR 656.31 allows a PERM suspension of up to 180 days during a fraud investigation, which Mayer Brown says can be extended until the investigation ends. DOL has not publicly invoked it, so 180 days is not an end date. If an investigation ends without an adverse finding, DOL "must resume processing the affected applications."

The confusion: a Blind question, "Will it impact extensions as well ? With approved i140.", drew both yes and no answers.

The answer (as of 2026-11-01): Capgemini can still file extensions, because only PERM is suspended, and an approved I-140 still supports three-year AC21 section 104(c) extensions.

For all eight employers side by side, read our explainer on what DOL's PERM suspension does at Microsoft, TCS, Infosys and the others.

Can Capgemini still file my H-1B extension?

Yes, under normal rules as of November 1, 2026. Three things to know this year; near year six, a fourth matters most.

• The 9-11 fee. The 9-11 Biometric Fee final rule, in effect since 2026-09-09, applies the fee ($4,000 for H-1B) to covered employers' extensions too, for petitions postmarked through 2027-09-30. Covered means 50 or more US employees, more than 50% of them in H-1B or L-1 status, part-time workers counted (USCIS PA-2026-16). We have seen no public statement on whether Capgemini is covered, so ask. See our guide to the $4,000 fee on H-1B extensions.
• Deference is only proposed for removal. A DHS proposal published 2026-10-14 (RIN 1615-AD26) would delete 8 CFR 214.1(c)(5), under which officers generally defer to an earlier approval when the parties and facts are unchanged. Comments close 2026-11-13 (Federal Register); current deference applies.
• Timing and funding. USCIS's processing-times tool, read 2026-11-01, showed 80% of H-1B extensions done within 11.5 months; check it live. Every extension needs a certified LCA, and federal funding runs through 2026-12-11; based on past lapses, DOL's LCA and PERM work could stop if Congress passes no funding by then (reported).

Past year six: where the PERM suspension bites

AC21 allows two kinds of extension beyond six years, both in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(13)(iii)(D)-(E):

• Section 106(a), one-year extensions. A PERM or I-140 filed for you must be at least 365 days old on the date the extension would take effect (not on October 8); the petition may be filed up to six months before that date. Eligibility lasts until a certified PERM expires or there is a final decision to deny or revoke the PERM or I-140, to decide your green card application, or to "Administratively or otherwise close the application for permanent labor certification." A suspension is none of those, so practitioners read a suspended PERM as still counting. That is practitioner analysis, not agency guidance, and an administrative closure would end it.
• Section 104(c), three-year extensions. With an approved I-140 and a green card held up only by the per-country limit, USCIS may grant H-1B time "in increments of up to 3 years for as long as the alien remains eligible for this exemption." The November 2026 Visa Bulletin holds EB-2 India's final action date at 2013-11-01 and EB-3 India's at 2014-01-22.

Under (D)(6), "The H-1B petitioner need not be the employer that filed the application for labor certification," so an earlier employer's PERM or I-140 can still count after a job change if it is still alive; an attorney can confirm yours.

Worked example: six years ending 2027-09-30

Assume your H-1B time started 2021-10-01 and ran continuously, so an AC21 extension would take effect 2027-10-01.

The suspension matters most a year further out. If your six years end 2028-09-30, a PERM must be on file by early October 2027 (365 days before 2028-10-01), and the suspension's length decides whether Capgemini can file one in time. An immigration attorney applies this to your real dates, including recapturable time abroad; see how an approved I-140 unlocks H-1B extensions past six years.

What happens to my Capgemini green card after the PERM suspension?

It pauses at the DOL step, with no end date announced as of November 1, 2026. The USCIS stages after PERM are not part of it.

• PERM not started: Capgemini cannot file. Ask whether prevailing-wage and recruitment work continues.
• PERM pending: frozen, and DOL's queue was long before the freeze. DOL's FLAG processing times showed analyst review at January 2026 priority dates and a 303-day average (as of 2026-10-21).
• PERM certified: per Mayer Brown, approved certifications "would require a separate revocation or invalidation process," and "Nothing announced so far revokes them automatically." A certified PERM must be used for an I-140 before it expires, so ask whether yours has been filed.
• I-140 approved or I-485 stage: not part of the announcement, and USCIS issued no new I-140 or AC21 policy in October 2026. Your priority date and the Visa Bulletin govern timing.

Does Capgemini hire OPT students?

Nothing in the PERM action stops Capgemini from hiring you on OPT or STEM OPT, and OPT itself needs no sponsorship. Whether a role takes OPT candidates depends on the team and posting, so ask the recruiter.

• Unemployment days. Post-completion OPT allows 90 days of unemployment and STEM OPT 150 in total, counted for each day "without employer information" (SEVP). Ask your DSO if a project ending puts your job in doubt.
• STEM OPT at a client site. USCIS says consulting firms may employ STEM OPT students "but only if they will be the entity that provides the practical training experience to the student," and trainers "may not, however, be employees or contractors of the employer's clients or customers" (USCIS STEM OPT page). Capgemini must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign your Form I-983. See our guide to STEM OPT at a consulting firm with a client-site placement.
• The H-1B lottery. FY2028 registration is not announced (USCIS gives 30 days' notice). Wage-weighted selection, in effect since 2026-02-27, enters a Level IV wage four times and Level I once. If you are selected and Capgemini timely files a cap-subject change of status, cap-gap extends your F-1 status and OPT work to April 1 of the fiscal year requested, or the petition start date if earlier.
• The $100,000 payment. Blocked today, and a change of status granted inside the US was never covered; a denied one would be if collection resumed. Per the USCIS I-129 page, "If this order is later lifted, DHS still plans to collect the payment."

If Capgemini places you at a client site on H-1B

IT services firms often staff projects at client locations. The current 8 CFR 214.2(h) sets these rules:

• A move can need a new petition first. A move to an area that needs a different LCA "is considered a material change," and the amended or new petition must be filed before you start there (214.2(h)(2)(i)(E)). Moves within your current LCA's area, and short placements of 30 days or less a year (60 if you keep your workstation at your permanent worksite), generally do not need one, subject to the rule's conditions.
• The client's requirements count. If you are "staffed to a third party," filling a role in the client's own hierarchy, "it is the requirements of that third party, and not the petitioner, that are most relevant" to whether the job is a specialty occupation (214.2(h)(4)(i)(B)(3)). USCIS site inspections can include client worksites.
• A rule to watch, not in force. "Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program" (RIN 1615-AD00) has been under OIRA review since 2026-08-24 with no public text; its agenda abstract mentions "increasing oversight over third party placements."
• If a project ends. EO 14431 makes employer layoffs an H-1B factor, with no automatic denial and no implementing guidance found as of 2026-11-01. If your job ends, the current rule allows a discretionary grace period of up to 60 days; a proposal to eliminate it closes for comments 2026-11-10 at 11:59 p.m. ET and is not law.

Should I accept a Capgemini offer in 2026?

On OPT or early in H-1B, the suspension mostly affects a green card further down the road. In H-1B years four to six with no PERM on file, it can decide whether you stay past year six. Before you sign:

1. Check the Data Hub for the exact petitioner name on your offer letter.
2. Ask the recruiter, in writing, whether the role is approved for H-1B sponsorship and whether Capgemini will register you for FY2028.
3. Ask Capgemini's immigration team whether it is a covered employer for the 9-11 fee, and when it would start your PERM if DOL lifts the suspension.
4. For a client-site role, ask which LCA covers the site and who files if you move.
5. For STEM OPT, confirm your Form I-983 names Capgemini's E-Verify number and a Capgemini trainer, and review it with your DSO.
6. Map your six-year date against the AC21 365-day rule with a licensed immigration attorney before you resign from a current H-1B job.

For a stage-by-stage view across all eight employers, use our decision table for offers from PERM-suspended employers. For a peer not on DOL's list, see where Accenture stands on H-1B and green cards.

Common mistakes

• Reading "PERM suspended" as "H-1B banned." Capgemini's H-1B filings are unaffected as of 2026-11-01.
• Treating 180 days as the end date. It is a ceiling DOL has not invoked.
• Counting 365 days to October 8. The count runs to the date the extension would take effect.
• Starting at a new client site before the paperwork. A move outside your LCA's area generally needs a petition filed first.
• Letting a client manager act as your STEM OPT trainer. USCIS bars the client's employees and contractors.

Frequently asked questions

Is Capgemini suspended from H-1B?

No. As of November 1, 2026, Capgemini is not suspended or debarred from the H-1B program. DOL's October 8 action covers only PERM labor certification, the first green card step, and Capgemini is not on DOL's H-1B debarment list.

Can Capgemini still file my H-1B extension?

Yes. The PERM suspension does not reach H-1B extensions, though since September 9, 2026 a covered employer (50 or more US employees, more than half on H-1B or L-1) pays a $4,000 9-11 fee per petition, extensions included. Past year six, AC21 timing decides; have an immigration attorney check your dates.

What happens to my Capgemini green card after the PERM suspension?

The PERM step is frozen, with no end date announced as of November 1, 2026. Nothing announced revokes a certified PERM or an approved I-140, and an approved I-140 still supports three-year AC21 section 104(c) extensions for people held back by per-country limits.

Does Capgemini hire OPT students?

Nothing in the PERM action stops Capgemini from hiring OPT or STEM OPT workers, and OPT needs no sponsorship; ask the recruiter whether a role takes OPT candidates. For STEM OPT, Capgemini must use E-Verify, sign your Form I-983 and provide the training itself, even at a client site.

Should I accept a Capgemini offer in 2026?

It depends on your visa stage. On OPT, the suspension does not touch the H-1B steps. In H-1B years four to six with no PERM filed, a long suspension could rule out an extension past year six, so have an immigration attorney review your dates first.

Sources

• Mayer Brown, DOL enforcement actions (2026-10-15)
• DOL, debarment list and FLAG
• USCIS, Data Hub, PA-2026-16, Form I-129, STEM OPT and cap-gap
• Federal Register, 9-11 fee rule, deference NPRM, grace-period NPRM and weighted selection
• 8 CFR 214.2 (Cornell LII); RIN 1615-AD00
• SEVP, unemployment counter; Visa Bulletin

How we checked this: on 2026-11-01 we read the DOL, USCIS and SEVP pages above, 8 CFR 214.2 and the Mayer Brown analysis, confirmed each Federal Register document's type and dates, and took the FY2024 figures from the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your own I-797, I-94 and I-20 govern; your DSO (for OPT, STEM OPT and SEVIS) or a licensed immigration attorney (for petitions and AC21 timing) should confirm anything about your case.

If you are weighing a Capgemini offer against employers whose green card path is open today, F1Jobs can help you find and apply to roles with sponsors that fit your visa timeline.