The DOL H-1B Debarment List: How to Check an Employer Before You Accept an OPT or H-1B Offer

Six employers are barred from H-1B approvals right now, and the big names in the October headlines are not among them. Here is how to check yours.

Part of our guide to PERM labor certification.

The H-1B debarred employers list is a short table on the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) website. As of November 1, 2026, the version in effect, dated "effective as of October 1, 2026", names six willful violators: GowraTech, Renotek Group, Seeloz, Sherwood Academy, Da Vinci Academy and Sadup Softech. While an employer's debarment period runs, DHS may not approve its H-1B petitions and DOL will not accept its labor condition applications (LCAs). Microsoft, TCS, Infosys and the other firms in DOL's October PERM suspension are not on the list, and that suspension is not an H-1B ban.

Status as of 2026-11-01:

• In effect: the DOL H-1B debarment list (six employers) and its companion willful-violator list (15 employers), both effective 2026-10-01.
• In effect, announced only: DOL's PERM suspension of Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini (2026-10-08). No published written notice, no end date, and no effect on H-1B.
• In effect, by settlement: Cloudera's two-year PERM debarment (2026-10-16). Cloudera denies wrongdoing.
• In effect as a directive: Executive Order 14431 (layoffs as an H-1B factor), with no implementing guidance and no automatic denials.
• Under OIRA review (unpublished draft): "Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program" (RIN 1615-AD00), received 2026-08-24.

Checking the list takes two minutes, but it is only one of five checks worth running before you sign an OPT, STEM OPT or H-1B offer.

Where is the DOL H-1B debarment list?

DOL's Wage and Hour Division publishes the H-1B Debarred/Disqualified List of Employers on dol.gov. Each row shows the employer's legal name, a "Willful Violator" flag and a debarment period. The version effective October 1, 2026 (last updated September 30, 2026) lists six employers, all willful violators, with periods running from May 2025 to September 2028. The address column is blank for every row, so the legal name is all you have to search by.

DOL H-1B debarment list, as of 2026-11 (list effective 2026-10-01)

A listing is a finding about the employer's conduct. It names no workers, and nothing on the page suggests that anyone employed there did anything wrong.

Were four employers debarred in July, or six?

Misconception: news stories this year reported that DOL debarred "four employers in July", and they disagree on the dates.

Correction: DOL's own list, effective October 1, 2026, names six. Our reading of the dates explains the gap: four debarment periods (GowraTech, Renotek, Seeloz and Sherwood Academy) had begun by July 2026. Da Vinci Academy's began on 2026-08-03 and Sadup Softech's on 2026-09-24. Use the dol.gov page and its "effective as of" line as the source of truth, not a news article's count.

Who is on the H-1B willful violator list?

WHD keeps a second, longer page, the H-1B Willful Violator List of Employers, also effective October 1, 2026. It names 15 employers, with willful-violation determination dates from 2022-05-09 to 2026-09-01. All six currently debarred employers appear on it. The other nine have determinations dated 2022 and 2023 and do not appear on the current debarment list.

Why this second list matters: willful-violator obligations outlast debarment. DOL's Fact Sheet #62S says "A willful violator employer must comply with additional attestations under any LCA it files within five years" of the finding (LCAs used only for "exempt" H-1B workers are excepted). Those extra attestations cover not displacing US workers, inquiring before placing H-1B workers at another employer's site, recruiting US workers in good faith, and offering the job to an equally or better qualified US applicant. DOL's H-1B program page adds that willful violator employers are subject to random DOL investigations for up to five years.

So an employer that appears only on the willful-violator list can file H-1B petitions today, under extra conditions and open to random investigation. Our reading, not stated on the page: even the oldest determination (May 2022) is inside a five-year window, so the page appears to show employers whose five years have not run out.

What happens if my employer is debarred from H-1B?

Under 20 CFR 655.855, once a WHD finding is final, DOL notifies DHS, and DHS "shall not approve petitions filed with respect to that employer under sections 204 or 214(c)" of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Section 214(c) covers nonimmigrant petitions such as the H-1B I-129. Section 204 covers immigrant petitions such as the I-140. The same section tells DOL's Employment and Training Administration to "invalidate the employer's labor condition application(s)" and to refuse its new LCA and PERM (20 CFR part 656) filings for the same period.

Under 20 CFR 655.810(d), the period is at least one year for certain violations, at least two years for willful violations, and at least three years where a willful violation came with displacing a US worker. Every row on the current list runs two years.

What that means depends on where you stand:

• On OPT with an offer from a listed employer. The employer cannot get an H-1B petition approved until its period ends. FY2028 registration is not announced as of 2026-11-01 (March 2027 is only an expectation), so a debarment ending in 2028 overlaps that whole season (our reading). Cap-gap, which rests on that petition, ends if it is denied, withdrawn, revoked or rejected.
• On STEM OPT, or planning to be. STEM OPT is your own I-765, supported by an I-983 training plan your employer signs. It is not an employer petition under section 214(c) or 204, and the debarment sections above do not mention it. The employer must still be enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing. Ask your DSO before you rely on a STEM OPT plan with a listed employer.
• Already on H-1B with a listed employer. Extensions and amendments are petitions, so they fall under the bar. DOL also invalidates the employer's existing LCAs, and the rule does not say what that means for a worker already in status under one. That is a question for a licensed immigration attorney, not for guesswork.

Is PERM debarment the same as H-1B debarment?

No, and the overlap runs one way. H-1B debarment, as above, stops petition approvals at DHS and also shuts the employer out of LCA and PERM filings. PERM debarment comes from DOL's Office of Foreign Labor Certification under 20 CFR 656.31(f) and bars only labor certifications, the first step of most employment-based green cards.

Under 20 CFR 656.31, OFLC may debar an employer, attorney or agent "for a reasonable period of no more than three years" for conduct such as willfully providing false information or a pattern of not complying with Form ETA-9089 terms. The section never mentions H-1B petitions or LCAs.

That is the Cloudera case. On 2026-10-16, the Justice and Labor Departments announced a settlement: a two-year PERM debarment, a $600,000 civil penalty and a $1.4 million back-pay fund for US applicants to seven PERM jobs. Cloudera denies the allegations, and it does not appear on WHD's H-1B lists. Our breakdown of the Cloudera and Instacart PERM settlements covers what they mean for workers already in the green-card queue.

Five employer actions compared, as of 2026-11

Are Microsoft and TCS banned from sponsoring H-1B?

No. On 2026-10-08, DOL announced it was suspending PERM processing for Microsoft, Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini. As of 2026-11-01, there is no public OFLC notice, no Federal Register notice, no stated basis and no end date. Law firm Mayer Brown's analysis notes that it "does not suspend any employer from the H-1B program."

None of the eight appears on either WHD list effective October 1, 2026, and DOL has not publicly invoked the PERM rule's 180-day suspension provision. The real exposure is green-card timing: under the AC21 rules at 8 CFR 214.2(h)(13)(iii)(D), a one-year H-1B extension past year six needs a PERM or I-140 filed at least 365 days earlier. Our explainer on what DOL's PERM suspension of eight employers actually does covers that risk.

What else could change for employers with violations

• RIN 1615-AD00, "Reforming the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program," has been under OIRA review since 2026-08-24. Its agenda abstract mentions "providing greater scrutiny for employers that have violated program requirements." The text is not public.
• EO 14431 told WHD to begin reviewing prior LCAs within 30 days, about 2026-10-18. As of 2026-11-01 there is no guidance and no public statement on whether that review began (order text).
• H.R. 10643, the H-1B Visa Fraud Crackdown Act, would raise 212(n) penalties and lengthen debarments. It is introduced and referred; no immigration bill has passed a chamber this Congress.

How to check if an employer is on the H-1B debarred employers list (five checks)

Run these in order. Together they cover what the debarment list alone misses.

1. Search the DOL WHD H-1B Debarred/Disqualified List on dol.gov for the employer's legal name and any "dba" trade name. If it appears, write down the end date of its debarment period and compare it with your OPT, STEM OPT or H-1B timeline.
2. Search the DOL WHD H-1B Willful Violator List for the same names. A determination within the last five years means the employer files LCAs under extra attestations and can be investigated at random.
3. Look up the employer in E-Verify Employer Search on e-verify.gov. Results show whether the account is enrolled or terminated, enrollment dates and the states with hiring sites (a listed site is not necessarily enrolled). The tool returns nothing for a trade name unless the employer supplied it at enrollment. Enrollment and good standing are STEM OPT requirements under the USCIS STEM OPT page. Our E-Verify employer lookup guide walks through the search screen.
4. Pull the employer's LCA and petition history from DOL's OFLC disclosure data (the latest files cover through 2026-06-30) and the USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, which now says it covers FY2009 through FY2026 Q4. Look for LCAs for your job title and work city, and for initial approvals, not only continuing ones. Here is how to search LCA filings by employer.
5. Match the legal name and worksite address on your offer letter to every record above, and to Form I-983 if you are on STEM OPT. DHS's Employers and the Form I-983 page says Section 5 needs the "Employer name, exactly as it appears in Section 3", and asks the plan to say whether training happens at a branch or subsidiary. For an H-1B, the worksite should match the LCA.

A worked example

On 2026-11-01, you are on post-completion OPT and get an offer from Example Analytics LLC (a made-up name) for an Austin, Texas role.

• Checks 1 and 2: neither WHD list shows "Example Analytics".
• Check 3: E-Verify shows "Example Analytics LLC", enrolled, with hiring sites in Texas and New Jersey.
• Check 4: the LCA files show its filings for analyst roles in Austin, and the Data Hub shows initial approvals.
• Check 5: the offer letter is signed by "Example Holdings Inc."

Check 5 caught the problem. Ask HR which entity will sign your I-983 and file your H-1B registration, then rerun checks 1 to 4 on that name.

If a check turns something up: what it means and what to ask (as of 2026-11)

For the wider review (denial trends, the employer's law firm, financial stability), see our post-offer due diligence guide for checking a sponsor's H-1B track record. For warning signs like sponsorship fees, unpaid bench time or a job that exists only on paper, read how to spot fake and exploitative H-1B sponsors.

A timing note for check 3: the current continuing resolution carries E-Verify only through 2026-12-11, and in the 2025 shutdown E-Verify went offline from 2025-10-01 for about a week. Unless Congress passes funding by 2026-12-11, a lapse could interrupt it again.

If you already work for a listed employer

WHD's H-1B program page links Form WH-4 (the H-1B Nonimmigrant Information Form) and fact sheets on the wage an H-1B employer must pay, and WHD's line is 1-866-487-9243. Before you change jobs or rely on your current status, take your I-797, I-94 and pay records to a licensed immigration attorney. If you are on OPT or STEM OPT, start with your DSO, who handles your SEVIS record and employer reporting.

Common mistakes

• Searching only the brand name. Both WHD lists use legal names, some with "dba" trade names. Search the name on the offer letter, the brand, and any parent or subsidiary.
• Treating "not on the list" as a clean bill of health. The lists show completed enforcement findings only. Open investigations, unpaid bench time and fake roles do not appear unless they end in a finding.
• Treating E-Verify enrollment as proof of H-1B sponsorship. E-Verify is a STEM OPT requirement. It says nothing about whether an employer files H-1B petitions.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the DOL H-1B debarment list?

It is on the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division website as the H-1B Debarred/Disqualified List of Employers. The version effective as of October 1, 2026 names six employers, all marked as willful violators. A separate H-1B Willful Violator List on the same site, effective the same date, names 15 employers.

What happens if my employer is debarred from H-1B?

Under 20 CFR 655.855 and 655.810(d), DHS will not approve petitions filed by a debarred employer under INA sections 214(c) or 204 for the debarment period, which is at least two years for willful violations. That reaches new H-1B petitions, extensions and immigrant petitions such as the I-140. DOL also invalidates the employer's existing LCAs and refuses its new LCA and PERM filings for the same period. What it means for status you already hold depends on your dates, so talk to a licensed immigration attorney, or to your DSO if you are on OPT or STEM OPT.

Is PERM debarment the same as H-1B debarment?

No. H-1B debarment follows a Wage and Hour Division finding, stops DHS from approving the employer's petitions, and under 20 CFR 655.855(d) also bars its LCA and PERM filings for the same period. PERM debarment under 20 CFR 656.31(f) bars an employer from the permanent labor certification program for up to three years and does not mention H-1B petitions or LCAs. Cloudera's settlement of October 16, 2026 is a two-year PERM debarment, and Cloudera denies the allegations.

Who is on the H-1B willful violator list?

The H-1B Willful Violator List effective October 1, 2026 names 15 employers, with determination dates from May 2022 to September 2026. It includes all six currently debarred employers, GowraTech, Renotek Group, Seeloz, Sherwood Academy, Da Vinci Academy and Sadup Softech. A willful violator must make extra attestations on any LCA it files within five years of the finding and can face random DOL investigations for up to five years.

Are Microsoft and TCS banned from sponsoring H-1B?

No. On October 8, 2026 DOL announced a suspension of PERM green-card labor certifications for eight employers, including Microsoft and TCS, and as of November 1, 2026 DOL has published no written notice or end date. It is not an H-1B suspension, and none of the eight appears on DOL's H-1B debarment or willful violator lists effective October 1, 2026.

Sources

• DOL WHD, H-1B Debarred/Disqualified List of Employers (effective 2026-10-01)
• DOL WHD, H-1B Willful Violator List of Employers (effective 2026-10-01)
• DOL WHD, Fact Sheet #62S: What is a willful violator employer? and H-1B Program
• 20 CFR 655.810, 20 CFR 655.855 and 20 CFR 656.31 (Cornell LII)
• DOJ, Cloudera settlement announcement (2026-10-16)
• Mayer Brown, DOL enforcement actions in H-1B and PERM fraud probe (October 2026)
• Federal Register via govinfo, Executive Order 14431 (91 FR 60501); reginfo.gov, RIN 1615-AD00 agenda entry
• E-Verify Employer Search; USCIS, STEM OPT extension; DHS Study in the States, Employers and the Form I-983
• DOL OFLC, performance and disclosure data; USCIS, H-1B Employer Data Hub

How we checked this: we read both WHD lists, Fact Sheet #62S, WHD's H-1B program page, the three regulations above, the DOJ Cloudera release, the EO 14431 text, the E-Verify search page, the OFLC and Data Hub pages and the USCIS and DHS STEM OPT pages on 2026-11-01 and 2026-11-02, and checked each status label against our November 1, 2026 policy brief.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your own I-20, EAD, I-797 and I-94, and your DSO or immigration attorney, govern your situation.

If you are on OPT or STEM OPT and want help with a search aimed at employers that sponsor, F1Jobs runs job searches for international candidates who need sponsorship.