Influencer Editorial Team
Amazon and Google recently paused applications to sponsor foreign workers for green cards. This decision comes after major tech companies like Microsoft went through layoffs. Increased competition for jobs is making things tougher for immigrant workers in the tech industry. Because these companies aren’t sponsoring green cards, it’ll be harder for overseas candidates to live and work in the US legally. Both Amazon and Google have stopped accepting applications until next year.
What’s PERM?
PERM stands for “program for employment-based immigrant visa.” It’s a way for companies to get approval from the US Department of Labor to hire foreign workers. This process ensures that hiring foreign workers doesn’t hurt job chances, pay, or working conditions for American workers. PERM is usually the first step towards getting a green card.
Why are they stopping PERM applications?
Amazon announced earlier this year that they would put a hold on PERM applications until the end of 2024. In a message to employees, they said they weren’t able to keep sponsoring foreign workers at this time. Google also stopped PERM applications in January 2023 and laid off thousands of employees. They recently told workers they won’t restart the PERM process until next year.
Why is this happening now?
A lawyer specializing in immigration says tech companies are following Google’s lead because of its big influence in the industry. With more qualified American workers available, companies are less likely to get approval for foreign workers through PERM. This makes the whole process a waste of time and money for them.
The lawyer also explained that companies have to offer open positions to laid-off American workers before hiring foreign workers. If even one laid-off worker is interested in the job, the company’s application to sponsor a foreign worker gets rejected.
