Amazon and Google Suspend US Green Card Applications Amid Tech Layoffs

Tech giants Amazon and Google have recently halted US green card applications for immigrants for the remainder of 2024. This move comes amidst a wave of layoffs by major tech firms like Microsoft, intensifying competition in the industry and worsening conditions for foreign workers. With the suspension of the green card application process, overseas candidates, particularly in the tech sector, face increased challenges in securing residency in the United States.

Both Amazon and Google have paused PERM applications, a crucial step in obtaining permanent labor certification overseen by the US Department of Labor. PERM aims to ensure that the employment of foreign workers does not adversely impact job opportunities, wages, or working conditions for American workers. This suspension effectively stalls the path to obtaining a green card for many prospective immigrants.

Amazon announced internally earlier this year that it would suspend all PERM filings through 2024, citing an inability to continue with the process. Similarly, Google halted its PERM applications in January 2023 and announced that it would not resume the process until the first quarter of 2025, following a significant workforce reduction.

Ava Benach, founding partner of Benach Collopy, a prominent immigration law firm in Washington DC, noted that tech companies are emulating Google's actions due to its influential position. She explained that with more American workers available for job openings, the labor market test required by PERM fails, rendering the process futile and costly for tech firms.

Moreover, the complexity of the green card process has increased amid the surge in tech layoffs. Benach highlighted the requirement for companies to inform laid-off workers of potential positions offered to foreign workers, complicating green card applications further.